EURATEX urges EU to simplify rules for textiles

The European textile and apparel industry is calling on the European Commission to streamline rather than expand regulations under the forthcoming Circular Economy Act (CEA). In a new position paper submitted this week, EURATEX warns that excessive or fragmented rules could hinder innovation and weaken the competitiveness of Europe’s textile sector.

The industry group outlines a clear vision: the CEA should simplify the regulatory landscape, ensure a level playing field across EU member states, and create conditions that encourage sustainable growth.

European apparel and textile industry wants EU to simplify, not complicate, regulations.

Among its main recommendations, EURATEX urges EU to simplify rules for textiles:

• Harmonised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes to align national systems and reduce market distortions.

• Facilitating the use of textile by-products, turning waste into valuable resources.

• Common Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria to steer public demand towards sustainable textiles.

• Avoiding new administrative burdens and overlapping reporting requirements for companies.

“A coherent and predictable policy framework is key to helping our industry lead the transition to circularity,” the association said in its statement. “Europe must support innovation, not drown it in red tape.”

EURATEX represents the interests of Europe’s textile and clothing manufacturers, a sector employing around 1.3 million people and generating over €160 billion in annual turnover. The group has been a key voice in the EU’s ongoing shift toward a circular and sustainable textile economy.

Read more: EURATEX Position Paper