Brussels 28 February 2025 – On 26 February, the Commission presented its first Omnibus simplification package, which will significantly impact both upcoming and existing legislation affecting the textile value chain. This includes the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) and the already-adopted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), for which many textile businesses have already invested in compliance.
We welcome the simplification of sustainability reporting standards, which should reduce both the number of required data points and compliance costs. Another positive step is limiting the amount of information that large companies can request from their suppliers, helping to ease the administrative burden on SMEs.
However, the removal of sector-specific standards raises concerns. The textile industry relies on reporting practices tailored to its unique needs, ensuring that companies focus on the most relevant sustainability aspects. Without these sector-specific guidelines, businesses may face uncertainty in reporting requirements. To address this, it is essential to consult industry stakeholders and establish harmonized reporting standards that provide clear and practical guidance for textile companies.
We also support measures to improve CS3D compliance, ensuring that companies have sufficient time to understand and implement the forthcoming Commission guidance effectively.
While the proposal is a step in the right direction, concerns remain about legal predictability and the risk of penalizing companies that have already made efforts and investments to comply with existing rules.
EURATEX looks forward to engaging in the next steps of the legislative process and advising policymakers on how to ensure meaningful due diligence while safeguarding business competitiveness and a level playing field in the global textile industry.
