European Commission news and archive

EU clamps down on food waste, fast fashion

EU lawmakers gave a final green light Tuesday to a law on curbing the environmental impact of so-called fast fashion and also slashing back the mountains of food wasted in Europe each year. Brussels estimates the 27-nation bloc generates around 15 kilos of textile waste and 130 kilogrammes of food waste per person each year. By curbing food...

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Fashion's digital reckoning: Why the EU's Product Passport mandate will reshape the Industry

As the European Union tightens its grip on environmental regulation, fashion brands across the continent, and beyond, are bracing for a seismic shift. At the heart of the upcoming regulatory wave lies the Digital Product Passport (DPP), a central feature of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), which becomes enforceable in...

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EU prepares retaliatory tariffs on US goods amid trade dispute

The European Union has agreed on a multi-billion pound list of potential retaliatory tariffs of up to 30 percent in the trade dispute with the US. If negotiations fail, countermeasures could quickly be imposed on US exports to the EU worth more than 90 billion euros. The Deutsche Presse-Agentur learned this from EU sources. The retaliatory...

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US makes new offer to EU in tariff dispute

In the trade dispute with the EU, the US submitted a new offer. The European Commission confirmed on Thursday that it had received a relevant US document. It was being reviewed, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday night after an EU summit. "We are ready for an agreement. At the same time, we are preparing for the...

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EU member states aim to significantly dilute supply chain act

EU member states sought to significantly dilute the European Supply Chain Act. A majority of countries voted to apply the human rights protection law only to companies with more than 5,000 employees, instead of the previous threshold of 1,000, the member states announced. In addition, the turnover threshold was to be raised from 450 million...

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Uncertainty over anti-greenwashing law: organisations respond

Uncertainty arose surrounding the proposed Green Claims Directive. In recent days, confusion emerged as to whether the European Commission’s anti-greenwashing legislation would proceed. Several organisations responded, issuing calls for clarity and prompt action. European textile organisation, Euratex, responded: “Euratex welcomed the Commission...

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Green Claims Directive: European Commission clarifies withdrawal of proposed law

The Green Claims Directive, also known as the anti-greenwashing law, may not be withdrawn after all. A commission spokesperson clarified that the withdrawal will only happen if a specific recent amendment is maintained. Spokesperson Paula Pinho noted that the amendment in question would bring small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under the...

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EU Green Week: What opportunities do repair and reuse offer for the textile sector?

The theme of this year’s EU Green Week was “Circular Solutions for a Competitive EU”. The event explored how circularity could become a new economic reality with a circular economy driving sustainable competitiveness, reducing waste and promoting innovation within the EU. The aim of the EU Green Week, which took place last week in Brussels, is...

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25 consumer organisations file complaint against Shein over misleading practices

Twenty-five European consumer organisations have lodged a joint complaint against Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein, accusing the company of misleading consumers and promoting overconsumption through manipulative design elements on its website and mobile app. The complaint, addressed to European regulators, alleges that Shein employs so-called ‘...

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EU approves Eco-Score methodology to assess clothing's environmental impact

On 14 May 2025, the European Commission officially approved the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology for the textile and footwear industries. Commonly referred to as the “Eco-score,” this initiative aims to measure the environmental impact of clothing and footwear across their entire life cycle. The development marks a major...

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Trump's tariff threat: How European luxury brands are preparing

While Donald Trump had threatened to impose duties of 50 percent on European imports from June 1, the White House eventually decided to extend the tariff pause until July 9. This decision, reported by Reuters on May 26, 2025, reflects an unavoidable reality: trade between the US and the European Union is essential in both directions. In 2024,...

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European commission demands action from Shein for consumer rights violations

The European Commission and various national watchdogs from EU member states are urgently calling on Shein to respect consumer protection laws. The call follows an investigation by the Consumer Protection Cooperation (CPC), which concluded that the Chinese retailer Shein was violating several laws. The CPC wants the retailer to correct the...