24 Amendments of Paolo BORCHIA related to 2022/2171(INI)
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
A. Whereas supporting a vibrant and dynamic textile sector is strategic for the value chains and the competitiveness of the European Industry;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion
Subheading 1 b (new)
Subheading 1 b (new)
b. Whereas the long tradition and experience of European textile companies has a priceless value for the European historical heritage and technological development;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion
Subheading 1 c (new)
Subheading 1 c (new)
C. Whereas the European SMEs are in the frontline of production, research and active development of business models and practices that are increasingly compatible with environmental ambitions;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that more than 99 % of the EU textiles ecosystem consists of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); underlines that EU textiles companies face intense competition from Asia, mainly China1 , where environmental regulations are less strict or non-existentand labour standards are less strict or non-existent; the usually low prices of these goods often affects the competitiveness of the European productions, while their low quality can be harmful for the consumers; therefore, calls for better controls by customs and by national market surveillance authorities to avoid the import of counterfeit, unsafe and uncompliant textile products. Better market surveillance shall not hamper free trade and responsible business practices; _________________ 1 European Commission, Directorate- General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, ‘Data on the EU Textile Ecosystem and its Competitiveness: final report’.
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Recalls that more than 99 % of the EU textiles ecosystem consists of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs); underlines that EU textiles companies face intense competition from Asia, mainly China1, where environmental regulations are less strict or non-existent; calls on the Commission to step up customs controls in order to ensure that imported products comply with the regulations governing EU companies; _________________ 1 European Commission, Directorate- General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, ‘Data on the EU Textile Ecosystem and its Competitiveness: final report’'.
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1a. Acknowledges the importance of recovering materials and, to this end, stresses the need for non-technical parameters to be included among the criteria for assessing end-product performance, so as to avoid unequal comparisons between products manufactured from recycled components and those manufactured from new materials;
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. calls on the European Commission to stop unsustainable fast fashion practices and boost better consumption and production models which enhance the strategic value of the supply chain, promote sustainability, foster creativity based on quality;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 b (new)
Paragraph 1 b (new)
1 b. Encourages the use of recycled materials, especially fiber-to-fiber, and support the conversion of textile waste from a costly disposal matter into new raw material generating value;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Stresses that ever-increasing regulation, which directly and indirectly affects the EU textiles industry, compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, is seriously threatening the competitiveness of EU businesses; calls on the Commission and the Member States to only implement additional regulations if they facilitate sustainable business models, as many obligations drastically increase costs, especially for SME, the increase prices of commodities and energy, the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, unfair trade behaviours of Extra-EU countries, is seriously threatening the competitiveness of EU businesses; calls for adequately weight extended producer responsibility obligations to safeguard subcontractors and intermediate processors;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 a (new)
Paragraph 2 a (new)
2 a. Calls for a revision of the criteria for awarding the Ecolabel to associate this label with products for which at least three economically significant processes have taken place in accordance with clear sustainability criteria defined at EU level; underlines the need of organising and implementing a better and harmonised surveillance of the internal market. Customs and other market surveillance authorities need to be empowered to prevent the import of counterfeit and/or unsafe textile products lacking the requirements expressly demanded of those who produce and operate within the EU, in order to safeguard the consumer and the environment;
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 2 b (new)
Paragraph 2 b (new)
2 b. Emphasises that any action that could increase red tape for producers should be avoided and calls for stronger support for SMEs in this sector;
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. Acknowledges the challenges to achieving a fully circular business model for textile companies, in particular owing to current technological and physical constraints on production and recycling, such as the use of chemicals, the lack of circular design, digitalisation gaps and the workforce’s up- and reskilling needs; stresses the need to introduce incentives for products that meet ecological standards, thus enabling producers to support environmentally sustainable production processes while maintaining competitive price levels and supporting the value chain by promoting the reshoring of delocalised production in the EU;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Recalls the need to support an open approach to circular economy, especially concerning open loop recycling, in order to avoid a “silos approach” and to favour research, innovation and cross- fertilization between different industrial sectors;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3a. Highlights the need to specify parameters for recycled materials regarding the presence of chemicals;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Underlines the importance of improving transparency and traceability in the textile industry to increase its ability to manage the value chains more effectively, identify and address labour and human rights violations and environmental impacts, combat counterfeits, while embracing more sustainable production and consumption patterns; at the same time, traceability shall not become a barrier to trade, an unacceptable cost or burden, especially for the SMEs;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
3 c. Underlines that a circular economy for textiles and apparel is the one that creates better products and services for customers, contributes to a resilient industry, and benefits the environment. Recycling of textiles, a crucial part of the circular economy for textiles and apparel, has the potential to reduce GHG emissions and freeing precious land for other uses. To this end, the European Union should support companies, associations, and initiatives like the ReHubs which are implementing plans to increase recycling and reduce textile waste;
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3 d. Reaffirms the importance of traceability and transparency as a tool also to support customers’ informed choices about textile products;
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3 e. Recalls the need to support the EU textile value chain, which actively contributes to the EU competitiveness, while at the same time defending it from external unfair practices, which are also distortive of the internal market;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that a business- supportive environment that promotes research and innovation is key to maintaining the EU textiles industry’s leading position in innovation2 , especially in sustainable fibres such as bio-based fibres, in inventing and scaling up circular production and recycling technologies, and in harnessing the opportunities offered by digitalisation, e.g. with the Digital Product Passport or smart textiles, provided that such an initiative does not lead to more bureaucracy for producers, enabling micro and SMEs to better communicate their sustainability; _________________ 2 Ibid.
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4 a. Underlines the importance of supporting the reshoring of textile production in the European Union as a way to promote reindustrialization of the continent and, as well, as a way to shorten the usually very stretched supply chains involved in the production and distribution of textiles;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 a (new)
Paragraph 4 a (new)
4a. Emphasises the importance of a traceability system that takes adequate account of the various processing stages so as to provide the market with a guarantee of uniform assessment throughout the production process;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4 b (new)
Paragraph 4 b (new)
4b. Urges the Commission to encourage development of the market for products made from recovered textile material, also outside the clothing sector, so as to ensure more widespread recycling;
Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5
Paragraph 5
5. Recalls that several EU funding opportunities exist, such as via Cluster 2 of Horizon Europe or the European Innovation Council; calls for the creation of an EU research and innovation agenda aligned with the transition pathway for the textiles ecosystem; underlines the leading role the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) on Culture & Creativity3 and Manufacturing4 should play in this process; calls for the development at European level of 'Textile Hubs', i.e. innovative textile regeneration poles, made up of research centres and disposal plants, for the sorting and recovery of pre- and postconsumer waste, turning waste into value and creating new jobs in textile manufacturing districts. _________________ 3 https://eit.europa.eu/eit-community/eit- culture-creativity. 4 https://www.eitmanufacturing.eu/.
Amendment 125 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Invites the European Commission to publish, as soon as possible, a regulation containing harmonised European criteria for the End of Waste of textiles, to ensure an efficient and smoother marketing of products obtained from the recovery of textile waste, encouraging the use of recycled products and the dissemination of innovative research poles for textile regeneration.