The strategy to make textile products more sustainable and “circular”, presented on Wednesday 30 March, has received a mixed reception among stakeholders and trade unions, even if they support the general objectives set out by the European Commission.
For example, the European Apparel and Textile Confederation, Euratex, welcomed the European Commission’s proposals (see EUROPE 12922/2), particularly the fact that the institution recognises the extent of the ecosystem, which affects sectors as diverse as the medical, agricultural and automotive sectors.
For Euratex, the challenge is to successfully develop and implement the ‘Transition Pathway’ to help the textile ecosystem contribute to the EU’s environmental and climate objectives. According to the association, it will be important to put businesses, especially SMEs, at the centre of the approach.
The organisation recalled that the strategy was one of many initiatives that were changing the environment in which companies in the sector operate. The organisation counts a total of 16 legislative initiatives, including one on sustainable products (see EUROPE 12922/1).
“If [the Sustainable Products Initiative] is wrongly implemented, such an unprecedented wave may cause a complete collapse of the European textile value chain under the burden of restrictions, requirements, costs and unlevel playing field” warns Euratex.
Lack of social dimension
IndustriAll Europe, the European trade union federation for the industrial sector, welcomed the majority of the proposals put forward by the European Commission, but regretted that the social element was absent from the strategy, recalling that the green transition must also be fair.
“We will continue to work with EU policy makers to ensure that workers benefit from the green transition of the textile sector, and we look forward to playing a key role in the textiles eco-system Transition Pathway which should have European workers at its centre”, said Judith Kirton-Darling, Deputy General Secretary of IndustriAll Europe. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)