Producers that make textiles available in the EU will have to cover the costs of their collection, sorting and recycling, through new producer responsibility (EPR) schemes to be set up by each member state, within 30 months of the directive’s entry into force. These provisions will apply to all producers, including those using e-commerce tools and irrespective of whether they are established in an EU country or outside the Union. Micro-enterprises will have an extra year to comply with the EPR requirements.
The new rules will cover products such as clothing and accessories, hats, footwear, blankets, bed and kitchen linen, and curtains. On Parliament’s initiative, EU countries may also set up EPR schemes for mattress producers.
Member states should also address ultra-fast fashion and fast fashion practices when deciding on financial contributions to the EPR schemes.
According to the second reading rules, the President announced in plenary that the proposed act was deemed adopted (the position was already agreed by Council earlier this summer).
The law will now be signed by both co-legislators, ahead of its publication in the EU Official Journal. EU countries will have 20 months following its entry into force to transpose the rules into national legislation.
