The proposed opinion aims to have a constructive influence on policymakers, especially on EU level, providing an objective analysis of the issues at hand and presenting concrete suggestions that may inform legislative action. It will provide insights and recommendations for the development of an effective waste treatment, resource management and circularity measures across the Union in a way that reflects the views and concerns of the social partners, industry and CSOs on this issue.
The EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles announced the review of the Textile Labelling Regulation. As part of this review, the Strategy mentions the possibility to introduce mandatory disclosure of types of information other than those already included in the current Regulation, such as sustainability and circularity parameters, products’ size and, where applicable, the country where manufacturing processes take place (‘made in’). The opinion will explore the different options to expand the scope of the Textile Labelling Regulation, including parameters on sustainability and circularity in coherence with current legislative proposals linked to traceability. The opinion will take account of the industrial perspective, including costs and improved exchange of information along the value chain, and the consumer perspective, in order to ensure correct, accurate and clear information.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: Revision of textile labelling Regulation
The Sustainable Products Initiative (SPI) package aims to make every aspect of the design, production, use and sale of products placed on the EU market more environmentally-friendly and circular to deliver on the sustainability and climate objectives. The proposals of the package will introduce a new era where sustainable products become the norm as well as Europe's resource independence.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: Sustainable products initiative, including Eco-design Directive
The Commission's new Circular Economy Action Plan focuses on sustainable products, less waste, product value chains, and circularity in regions and cities, and the global level.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: New Circular Economy Action Plan
The EU acknowledges the increasing importance of including the EU and partner countries' companies in the GSCs. It is also emphasised that the current interdependence of the economies may further increase due to the recently negotiated and implemented EU trade and investment agreements, as well as negotiations at the WTO. The EESC also recommends cooperation between international organisations and other relevant stakeholders. This would include adopting a common language and common definitions of elements related to global value chains, GSCs and decent work, and comparison and assessment of the statistical data between the various stakeholders, such as the OECD, the International Labour Organisation (ILO), WTO, the European Commission, the World Bank and IFM. This should help avoid confusion and misinterpretation, and support elaboration of a coherent policy between diverse public bodies involved.
Download — Mišljenje EGSO-a: Decent work in global supply chains (own-initiative opinion)
Opinion on the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries not covered by bilateral agreements, protocols or other arrangements, or by other specific Union import rules (recast)
Download — Common rules for imports of textile products from certain third countries
