The ESPR proposal, published in March 2022, establishes a framework to improve the environmental sustainability of products and their circularity, where textiles have been identified as one of the priority groups. Companies placing products on the EU market will have to adhere to specific ecodesign performance requirements, and information requirements, the latter communicated via the Digital Product Passport.
EURATEX Position
• The regulation should focus on consumer goods, namely garments.
• Ideal requirements should balance high environmental objectives, feasibility and competitiveness; they shall evolve step-by-step.
• Appropriate and harmonised measures to aid SMEs in the transition are key.
• A level playing field through effective market surveillance should be ensured.
Timeline
After the European Commission publication of the proposal in March 2022, the EU Council adopted its general approach in May 2023, followed by the European Parliament’s position in July 2023. Interinstitutional negotiations on the main Regulation commenced in autumn 2023 and are ongoing. Meanwhile the stakeholder consultations of the Commission and Joint Research Centre on the textile-specific secondary legislation (i.e. a “textile” Delegated Act) continues with several consultation expected in 2024.
