The European textile and apparel industry supports the EU’s climate objectives and recognises the role of the Emissions Trading System in reducing industrial emissions. However, the system must reward companies investing in decarbonisation rather than weaken their capacity to manufacture and compete in Europe. EURATEX represents more than 200,000 companies and 1.2 million workers. The…
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Brussels, 8 June 2026 – The revision of the Waste Framework Directive is a key opportunity to establish a coherent EU framework for textile circularity. In its position paper, EURATEX calls for textile Extended Producer Responsibility to be implemented in a coordinated and as harmonised as possible manner across Member States. A fragmented approach to…
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Brussels, 29 May 2026 – Energy prices have become a decisive factor for the competitiveness of the European textile and apparel industry. In its position paper, EURATEX warns that high and volatile energy costs continue to place European manufacturers at a structural disadvantage compared with competitors in other regions. The textile sector represents over 200,000…
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Brussels, 11 March 2026 – A coalition of European industry and retail organisations is calling on the European Union to close regulatory gaps in e-commerce imports. These gaps undermine fair competition, consumer safety and the Single Market. The organisations warn that the planned “deemed importer” system under the Union Customs Code will only apply in…
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EURATEX has published a position paper on the Digital Product Passport for apparel. The paper explains how the system should work for the textile sector. The Digital Product Passport will form part of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR). It will provide structured information on products placed on the EU market. This data will…
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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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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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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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