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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Brussels, 8 December 2025 – A coalition of European and sectoral associations published a joint statement expressing concern about the early national transposition of Directive (EU) 2025/1892 (the revision of the Waste Framework Directive introducing an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for textiles and footwear). The signatories warn that personal protective equipment (PPE) and medical…
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Brussels, 20/11/2025 – EURATEX – the European Apparel and Textile Confederation – is delighted to announce its official partnership with the Textiles Recycling Expo 2026, taking place on 24–25 June 2026 at Brussels Expo, Belgium. Following its successful participation as part of the Industry Alliance Hub at the 2025 launch edition, EURATEX now strengthens its…
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Bruxelles, 11 November 2025 – The European textiles and clothing sector, a cornerstone of the continent’s industrial heritage and economic vitality, is at a critical crossroads. With 192,000 companies and 1.3 million workers contributing €167 billion annually, the sector faces mounting pressure from global competition, exploitative fast fashion models, and the challenges of the green…
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6 November 2025 – EURATEX has co-signed a joint statement with major European and international business organisations — including amfori, DIGITALEUROPE, EuroCommerce, FoodDrinkEurope, and others — calling on EU policymakers to ensure legal certainty and simplification in the finalisation of the Omnibus I package. The statement supports the European Parliament’s compromise proposal on the Corporate…
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Brussels, 6 November 2025 – EURATEX, representing Europe’s textile and clothing industry with over 200,000 companies and 1.3 million workers, has submitted its official position paper to the European Commission’s consultation on the upcoming Circular Economy Act (CEA). The association welcomes the Commission’s initiative to shape a framework that strengthens Europe’s circular economy while maintaining…
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Brussels, 13 October 2025 – EURATEX, the voice of Europe’s textile and clothing industry, calls on the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) to conduct a sector-specific evaluation of technical textiles in the ongoing UPFAS restriction process. ECHA recently added eight new sectors to its background document but decided against separate evaluations for each. EURATEX warns this…
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Brussels, 13 October 2025 – We, 26 European business associations, representing a wide array of industries and businesses, express our full support for the swift ratification of the EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement. Together, our members cover a significant portion of the total trade in goods and services of over 153 billion euros in 2024 between the…
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Cornerstone of Spain’s industrial fabric, home to world-renowned artisanal silk, garments, home textiles and advanced technical textiles, the Spanish textile and clothing sector is facing profound change. Confronted with rising global competition, energy price pressures, and major transitions reshaping the industry, Spanish social partners- employers’ and trade unions’ representatives – gathered in Valencia for the…
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E-commerce has transformed the way Europeans shop. Yet, behind the convenience of a click, there is a growing risk: unsafe and non-compliant products entering the EU market without proper oversight. A coalition of environmental and consumer NGOs, industry, retailers, and wholesalers is calling on EU policymakers to urgently close loopholes that allow these products to…
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