European textile industry leaders are calling for stronger measures to ensure fair competition, arguing that the success of the European Union’s circular textile ambitions will depend on whether sustainability costs are applied equally to domestic manufacturers and imported products.
The call came during a European Parliament event in Brussels on Sept. 30, where industry representatives discussed how recycling, transparency and industrial competitiveness can be strengthened across the textile and clothing sector. Read Here
César Araújo, president of Portugal’s National Association of Clothing, Apparel and Fashion Industries (ANIVEC), said the EU’s recently announced 2-euro handling fee on small parcels entering the bloc from outside the EU was insufficient to ensure fair competition. He proposed a 10-euro fee, citing the rapid growth of e-commerce shipments and the resources needed for inspections.
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Small parcels entering the EU rose from about 2.7 billion in 2023 to 4.1 billion in 2024 and could approach 6 billion in 2025, according to figures cited by Araújo. He said the issue extends beyond duties to product safety, taxation and consumer protection.
The industry also urged policymakers to make circularity economically viable by developing markets for recycled fibres, recognising European recycled materials and strengthening eco-modulation under Extended Producer Responsibility schemes.
The discussions covered the Digital Product Passport, ecodesign requirements, textile collection, sorting and recycling infrastructure. Industry representatives warned that rising sustainability requirements could weaken European manufacturing if imported products do not face comparable costs.
Araújo said Europe could not become greener by losing its industrial base, arguing that shifting production overseas would not eliminate emissions while reducing European jobs. The European textile and clothing industry represents about 200,000 companies and 1.2 million jobs, according to ANIVEC.
The debate highlights a growing challenge for the EU: creating a circular textile economy while maintaining competitiveness in a market increasingly shaped by global e-commerce and imported apparel.