The European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur have reached a political agreement on their long-negotiated partnership deal. For the textile and apparel sector, the agreement brings concrete and time-bound changes that will shape trade between the two regions.

At the start of 2026, India reintroduced import duties on cotton, ending a period of duty-free access to foreign cotton. The decision is aimed at protecting domestic farmers, but it could have wider consequences for clothing production, prices, and textile waste flows far beyond India.