European Textiles Ecosystem Welcomes EU Waste Directive, Calls For Harmonised Implementation

The undersigned European business organisations represent the textile ecosystem, from manufacturing and design to retail, collection, sorting, reuse and recycling. Our members account for a significant part of the European economy and the EU apparel and footwear sector. Today’s European Parliament vote on the revision of the Waste Framework Directive (WFD) marks a decisive step towards establishing a harmonised framework for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for textiles across the EU.

The WFD offers the opportunity to make textile waste management effective via harmonised EPR rules across Member States. The signatory organisations call on the European Commission to ensure that these rules are harmonised across all Member States and applied equally to all operators. Only Commission leadership can guarantee a level playing field and avoid fragmentation of the Single Market.

To avoid duplication or confusion, the framework should include a harmonised list of products in scope, a consistent structure for calculating EPR fees and eco modulation, and a standardised reporting template. These measures will send a clear signal to economic operators and enable impact at scale”.

We particularly urge the Commission to start harmonisation already in 2025. The textile recycling value chain cannot afford a legislative gap lasting many years.

The European textile ecosystem emphasises that eco-modulation criteria must be science-based and aligned with Eco-design for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR) requirements once these are fully implemented. To avoid delays in driving circularity, we support the introduction of EU-based pragmatic interim criteria in the meantime, which can be refined as eco-design standards are adopted. Only evidence-based policymaking can deliver measures that support sustainability while preserving competitiveness.

Today’s vote is an important milestone for Europe’s circular economy agenda. The sector is committed to driving circularity and sustainability, but this must be underpinned by harmonised, evidence-based, and easy-to-implement rules designed and led by the European Commission. Only then can the WFD deliver real progress and fit into the Commission’s competitiveness agenda.