Textile product labelling

Background

The European Commission has announced a review of the Textile Labelling Regulation (TLR) for the fourth quarter of 2023, and has asked the EESC to provide its views in order to help shape the proposal.

The review is part of the EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles. While the current TLR requires textiles sold on the EU market to carry a label clearly identifying the fibre composition and any non-textile parts of animal origin, the strategy for sustainable and circular textiles mentions the possibility of introducing the mandatory disclosure of other types of information. This information would include sustainability and circularity parameters, the size of products and, where applicable, the country where manufacturing processes take place ("made in").

Key points

The EESC supports the European Commission's announced approach for the revision of the TLR, which should focus on the possibilities offered by new digital labelling, recycling and fibre technologies.

The Committee calls on the Commission to:

• ensure the TLF meets the various expectations of consumers concerning textile labels, which should first and foremost offer basic and easily understandable information. More detailed information should otherwise be made accessible for those who wish to know more;
• strive for an EU-wide and global alignment of labelling requirements on indications of origin, care instructions, size and fibre composition;
• prevent further offshoring by establishing labelling requirements that are flexible enough to address SMEs' capacities.

Link to full opinion

Additional information

EESC section responsible: Single Market, Production and Consumption (INT)

Opinion type: Exploratory opinion

Rapporteur: Antje GERSTEIN (Employers – Germany)

Date of adoption by section: 29/06/2023

Result of the vote: 60 votes in favour and none against, with no abstentions

Date of adoption by plenary: 12/07/2023

Result of the vote: 196 votes in favour and 1 against, with 4 abstentions

Contacts

Press officer

Tel.: + 32 2 546 8422 | Mob: +32 475 99 94 32

email: daniela.marangoni@eesc.europa.eu

Policy officer

Tel.: +32 2 546 9140

email: marco.manfroni@eesc.europa.eu