3 March 2026 – The transformation of Europe’s textile, clothing, leather and footwear industries is changing not only what people need to learn, but also how technical education can be delivered. Within METASKILLS4TCLF, trainers and technicians are testing new immersive learning tools designed to bring digital and industrial environments directly into vocational education and higher…
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Brussels, 27 February 2026 – With the European Commission’s decision to provisionally apply the EU–Mercosur Interim Trade Agreement, a process spanning more than 25 years now moves decisively into its implementation phase. 25 European business associations, representing a broad range of industries across the European Union, fully support this critical and long-anticipated step. The recent…
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Antwerp, 11 February 2026 – EURATEX, representing the European textile and fashion industry, joins the Antwerp Declaration Community’s call on EU Heads of State and Government to adopt emergency measures that restore industrial competitiveness and deliver tangible results for Europe’s manufacturing base in 2026. The call was made at the European Industry Summit, which brought…
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Brussels, 9 February 2026 – Ahead of the informal council in Alden Biesen, EURATEX rings the bell on the acute need of the following policy measures, if we are to safeguard the competitiveness of our textile companies. 1. Support entrepreneurship and reduce the cost of doing business in Europe: We call for lower energy costs…
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Paris, 5 February 2026 – The Argentine Textile Industry Federation (FITA), the Brazilian Textile and Apparel Industry Association (ABIT), the Paraguayan Industrial Association of Apparel Manufacturers (AICP), and the European Apparel and Textile Confederation (EURATEX) continue to monitor the process of internalizing the Mercosur-European Union Partnership Agreement. This agreement is essential for the competitiveness of…
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Brussels, 26 January 2025 – Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a key part of the EU’s circular economy policy. It ensures that producers take responsibility for the end-of-life management of the products they place on the market. In recent years, however, several Member States have started to introduce State-run Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs). This trend…
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Brussels 17/01/2026 – Today marks a historic milestone with the signing of the EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement, creating the biggest trading block in the world. European business – represented by more than 28 associations across a wide range of sectors – warmly welcomes this signature. It sends a strong and timely signal that the EU remains open and…
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Effective market surveillance is essential to ensure that all textile products sold in the EU comply with safety, environmental and consumer protection rules. It is also a key condition for fair competition in the Single Market. Today, European textile companies operate under some of the world’s most demanding regulatory requirements. However, enforcement of these rules…
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Public procurement represents a powerful yet underused lever to support Europe’s industrial base and strategic autonomy. In the textile and clothing sector—supplying uniforms, workwear, healthcare and defence textiles—public purchasing decisions have a direct impact on industrial resilience, sustainability and security of supply. EURATEX stresses that public procurement policies must better reflect the EU’s broader industrial,…
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Production Down, Imports Up, Competitiveness at Risk A challenging macro-economic context for European manufacturing In 2024, the European economy expanded at a moderate pace, with GDP growth reaching 1% (up from 0.5% the previous year). Despite some improvements in market conditions, the overall manufacturing sector remained weak, with performance varying across industrial sub-sectors. One of…
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