At the heart of the discussion was the growing crisis in the used and waste textile sector. Social enterprises and other textile second-hand operators are threatened by market oversaturation, rising operational costs, and the ever-increasing influx of low-quality fast fashion.
The lack of robust Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes, despite the new requirement for separate textile collection introduced this January, is aggravating the crisis. Even countries with EPR systems in place, such as France and the Netherlands, are still grappling with the same bottlenecks, indicating that existing models require significant improvement.
We highlighted that the textile crisis should be regarded as a valuable lesson for upcoming policies. The EU now has an opportunity to react through the Circular Economy Act (CEA). However, to succeed, the CEA must tackle the root causes of waste generation, embed the polluter pays principle, and actively support social enterprises as essential innovators and drivers of a competitive circular economy.
In particular, we provided recommendations regarding future harmonised criteria for EPR schemes. Firstly, EPR fees should align with the waste hierarchy and comprehensively cover all waste management activities. Mandatory targets should be set for reuse and preparation for reuse. To achieve environmental objectives and ensure the retention of expertise, EPR governance should include all relevant stakeholders.
We welcomed the Commissioner's willingness to engage in an open conversation. Going forward, we will continue to advocate for a Circular Economy Act that learns from today's crises and puts prevention, resource efficiency, prosperity, and social value at the core of tomorrow's solutions.
