The International Fur Trade Federation (IFTF) is a global trade association established in 1949 that represents the interests of the fur industry worldwide. It unites 48 member organizations across 39 countries, encompassing the entire fur supply chain—from farmers, trappers, auction houses, merchants, brokers, dressers, and dyers to manufacturers, wholesalers, marketing organizations, and retailers. The Federation aims to promote and protect the fur trade industry by engaging with policymakers, particularly within the European Union, to influence legislation and policies affecting fur production and trade.
IFTF’s lobbying activities focus on a broad range of EU policy areas including farming, hunting, trapping, environmental policy, trade policy, circular economy, product labeling, traceability, certification, animal welfare, and health. The Federation actively monitors and contributes to legislative initiatives such as the Farm to Fork Strategy, Animal Welfare legislation, Biodiversity Strategy, Invasive Alien Species regulations, Circular Economy Action Plan, Strategy for Sustainable Textiles, Ecodesign legislation, Product Environmental Footprint, Trade Agreements, Green Claims, and Due Diligence requirements.
The organization operates both from its head office in London and its EU office in Brussels, facilitating direct engagement with EU institutions. While it employs a small number of in-house lobbyists (0.75 full-time equivalent), it also relies on external consultants to support its EU activities. Despite its extensive network within the fur industry, IFTF has declared no formal affiliations or memberships with other organizations in the EU Transparency Register. It participates in advisory committees such as the DG TRADE Market Access Advisory Committee but has not declared any formal meetings with EU institutions since its registration.
IFTF is registered in the EU Transparency Register since January 20, 2021, under the category of trade and business associations with the registration number 647352441013-57. Its declared lobbying expenditure for the financial year 2020 was €250,000. The Federation does not have any lobbyists accredited to the European Parliament and has not reported any high-level meetings with the European Commission or Parliament. The organization’s transparency profile reflects its commitment to representing the fur industry’s interests in a complex regulatory environment, emphasizing sustainable trade practices and compliance with EU standards.
