Activities of Patrizia TOIA related to 2022/2171(INI)
Shadow opinions (1)
OPINION on an EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles
Amendments (7)
Amendment 14 #
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; in that regard, stresses the need for a stronger and better coordinated market surveillance system across the EU as well as for enforceability by design in the EU legislation; _________________ 1 European Commission, Directorate- General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, ‘Data on the EU Textile Ecosystem and its Competitiveness: final report’.
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 1 a (new)
Paragraph 1 a (new)
1 a. Acknowledges the urgency of ensuring that textile products sold in the EU are long-lived, reusable, recyclable and free of hazardous substances; stresses the importance to support EU fashion industry in moving away from fast fashion into more sustainable textile production that combines creative capacity and production systems based on the quality of processes, materials and details; underlines the need, when designing policies, to take into account the many differences within the textile industry where several sectors already develop products that are designed and realised to be durable and reparable;
Amendment 34 #
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 businessesAcknowledges the fact that the competitiveness of EU companies is at constant risk; calls on the Commission and the Member States to only implement additional regulations if regulation that avoids burdens and ratheyr facilitates transition towards sustainable business models, as many obligations drastically increase costs, especially for SMEnd a just transition for workers, to develop and implement awareness-raising programmes for consumers on the environmental and climate impacts of the textile and clothing industry, and sustainable consumption and smart choices;
Amendment 55 #
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; specific funding, sound metrics and legal incentives are needed to transform the sector into a truly sustainable and resilient sector and to safeguard the industry and its jobs in Europe. This includes support in accessing clean and affordable energy;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Recalls the importance to support and strengthen textile collection for reuse for social purposes;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Underlines that 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 textilessmart textiles as well as a truly interoperable and standardised SME- friendly Digital Product Passport providing full supply chain traceability, transparency and facility disclosure as well as environmental and social information; _________________ 2 Ibid.
Amendment 115 #
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 rolerole played by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) on Culture & Creativity3 and Manufacturing4 should play in this proces, but calls for a dedicated co-programmed Partnership at EU level for advancing the European Union’s competitiveness in innovative and sustainable textiles. Such a partnership should pool and accelerate research, innovation, pilot testing, demonstration and education activities in four strategic domains, such as circular, responsible and biobased economy; digital manufacturing and supply chains; smart and high-performance materials and products as well as advanced digital and greener skills. _________________ 3 https://eit.europa.eu/eit-community/eit- culture-creativity. 4 https://www.eitmanufacturing.eu/.