Brussels, 12/04/2010 (Agence Europe) - Consumers should be provided with accurate, intelligible and comparable information on the characteristics of the textile products they buy. For this, a new EU harmonised labelling system may be needed. In addition, the country of origin should be indicated on label. These are the main points to be drawn after the European Parliament's internal market committee (IMCO) adopted the report by Toine Manders (ALDE, Netherlands) on the draft proposal for a Parliament and Council regulation on textile names and related labelling of textile products, by 30 votes to one, with six abstentions, on Thursday 8 April.
With their amendments to the proposal tabled by the European Commission in October 2009 (see EUROPE 10004), the IMCO committee calls for it to be compulsory that the country of origin of textile products be indicated. Currently, the “Made in …” indication is purely voluntary and, in practice, depends on national legislation. On Thursday, the IMCO committee voted for an EU harmonised system in order better to inform consumers and provide protection against inaccurate or misleading indications. EU legislation is currently limited to rules relating to the harmonisation of textile fibre names - there are currently 48 fibres, 18 natural and 30 man-made, in the internal market - and the labelling of the fibre composition of textile products. Initially, MEPs were to vote on a technical proposal by the Commission that sought to establish a revised procedure, shortening the time required for manufacturers to place a new fibre on the market. The committee wanted to go further, helping consumers to make informed choices when buying clothing or other textile products. For this, new EU legislation with harmonised requirements on care labelling (currently voluntary), EU-wide uniform sizing and labelling warning of flammability, possible allergenic substances etc, may be needed. To that end, the IMCO committee has called on the Commission to submit, within two years, a report on possible new labelling requirements to be introduced at EU level. This report should be accompanied, where appropriate, by legislative proposals. The Toine report will be put to the plenary session vote in May or June. (E.H./transl.rt)