Deal on new EU rules to reduce textile waste

Parliament and Council reached a provisional agreement on new measures to prevent and reduce waste from and textiles across the EU.

According to the deal, EU countries would have to establish producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, through which producers that make textiles available in an EU country would have to cover the costs for their collection, sorting and recycling, 30 months after the entry into force of the directive.

These provisions would apply to all producers, including those using e-commerce tools and irrespective of whether they are established in an EU country or outside the EU. Micro-enterprises would need to comply with the EPR requirements 12 months later.

The new rules would cover products such as clothing and accessories, footwear, blankets, bed and kitchen linen, curtains, hats. At Parliament’s initiative, EU countries may also set up EPR schemes for the producers of mattresses.

Negotiators also agreed that member states should address ultra-fast fashion and fast fashion practices when setting out the financial contributions to the EPR schemes.

Every year, almost 12.6 million tonnes of textile waste are generated in the EU. Clothing and footwear alone account for 5.2 million tonnes of waste, equivalent to 12 kg of waste per person every year. It is estimated that less than 1% of all textiles worldwide are recycled into new products.

In July 2023, the Commission proposed a revision of the EU rules on waste, targeted at food and textile waste. Under the existing rules, EU countries were already required to set up separate collection of textiles by 1 January 2025.

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