Strasbourg, 12/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Parliament's approval of the new textile labelling rules paves the way to greater transparency for consumers but also to swifter delivery of new fibres and innovative products onto the market.
By adopting the report by the Dutch Liberal, Toine Manders, on Wednesday 11 May, the Parliament has validated the compromise reached during the second reading with the Council at the end of April on new regulation for textile labelling. This will help consumers inadvertently purchasing products containing fur or leather. From now on, the labelling of a textile product containing fur must clearly indicate if the materials used are of animal origin or not. These new rules will be particularly beneficial to people suffering from allergies, given the potential danger of fur to their health. The Commission is also expected to analyse at the end of September 2013, the existence of a causal link between allergic reactions and chemical substances (colourings, biocides or nanoparticles) used in textiles.
In an effort to enable consumers to verify the origin of textile products, the Parliament has proposed that “made in” labels be obligatory for products manufactured outside the EU. The Council has only agreed to the Commission further developing this question and carrying out a feasibility study at the end of September 2013 into a system including labels of origin. These labels will be aimed at providing accurate information to consumers about the countries of origin, in addition to providing them with additional information on the comprehensive traceability of the textile products in question. The examination may also be accompanied by a legislative proposal.
The Commission report is also expected to assess possible harmonisation of maintenance labelling requirements (which is currently voluntary), as well as the feasibility of a large-scale EU wide clothing system. The European Commission is also being called on to evaluate how new technologies, such as microchips or radio frequency identification could, in the future, replace traditional labels and be used to communicate information to consumers.
The new regulation includes an exemption to obligatory labelling rules for made-to-measure textile products by self-employed tailors.
The text will still need to be approved by member states. The new regulation will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the EU Official Journal. With regard to new labelling requirements, however, such as rules on fur garments, a transition period for two and a half years is planned in order to give the industry time to adapt. (E.H./transl.fl)