31 Amendments of Christophe GRUDLER related to 2022/2171(INI)
Amendment 16 #
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) that in general have low profit margins and highlights 38% of the added-value of the turnover sector comes from the exterior of the UE; underlines that EU textiles companies face intense competition from Asia, mainly China1 , where environmental regulations are less strict or non-existent; _________________ 1 European Commission, Directorate- General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, ‘Data on the EU Textile Ecosystem and its Competitiveness: final report’.
Amendment 33 #
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 SMEs and improves the competitiveness of the sector;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 a (new)
Paragraph 3 a (new)
3 a. Recalls that the textile industry has to respect 16 pieces of European legislation, several implementation methods and national legislation in 27 Member States; recalls that non- harmonized legislation leads to a fragmented market and bureaucratic burdens that increases the difficulties on the sector especially on the SMEs;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 b (new)
Paragraph 3 b (new)
3 b. Recalls that imports of non- compliant products sold through online platforms and other digital services are widespread, and calls on those platforms, including market places, to ensure that the textile products they sell comply with EU law; recalls the importance of ensuring that market surveillance authorities have sufficient facilities and resources in place to perform adequate monitoring;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Paragraph 3 c (new)
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 d (new)
Paragraph 3 d (new)
3 d. Considers this eco-modulation fees should be done on a product-by-product basis. Recalls that the eco-modulation fees must be modulated by different criteria for product sustainability and should be aligned with the Delegated Acts for textiles of the ESPR;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 e (new)
Paragraph 3 e (new)
3 e. Brings attention on the possibilities that a Digital Product Passport (DPP) may have on the textile industry, as it may serve for monitoring and surveillance of information requirements, and recalls on the importance of maintaining standardised criteria according to products;
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 f (new)
Paragraph 3 f (new)
3 f. Considers that we should move towards e-labels. These e-labels could take advantage of the technical solutions provided in the Digital Product Passport (DPP). However, considers that the use of a DPP should not detract from the fact that this information should be provided at first sight at the point of sale;
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 g (new)
Paragraph 3 g (new)
3 g. Highlights the potential of the DPP to support full value chain coverage in parallel to the applicable due diligence legislation; calls on the Commission to require companies to use the DPP to disclose and submit information throughout their supply chains, taking into account that access rights should be differentiated for various categories of data-user;
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 3 h (new)
Paragraph 3 h (new)
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 a (new)
Paragraph 5 a (new)
5 a. Encourages Member States, regions and Managaning Authorities to make use full use of the European Structural Funds as well as the Recovery and Resilience Instrument to untap the potential of the European textile industry by supporting investments in innovative solutions to further digitalize and decarbonize the sector, support SMEs, and support upskilling and reskilling initiatives to ensure that no one is left behind.
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 b (new)
Paragraph 5 b (new)
5 b. Recalls that the purity of the input in fabrics also determines the efficiency and economic viability of the recycling process. Calls for an approach oriented towards the durability and circularity of the products, with the aim of avoiding the voluntary degradation of a resource and its blending with other components in addition to the use of chemicals which could lead to the end of its recycling cycle.
Amendment 133 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 c (new)
Paragraph 5 c (new)
5 c. Recalls the need to promote alternative business models that contribute to ensuring that items are used more and for longer. In this regard, calls to establish incentives, such as tax deductions or exemptions, to support re- use, rentals sectors as well as business focused on extending the life of garments.
Amendment 135 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 d (new)
Paragraph 5 d (new)
5 d. Highlights the need to establish a fully functioning and competitive European secondary market for raw materials that allows producers to move towards higher rates of recycled materials within their products.
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 e (new)
Paragraph 5 e (new)
5 e. Calls to develop consumer incentives to achieve higher textile collection rates, which remain very low within the EU.
Amendment 139 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 f (new)
Paragraph 5 f (new)
Amendment 141 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 g (new)
Paragraph 5 g (new)
5 g. Calls to develop schemes that allow the sorting at the collection point and the innovation to develop automated sorting mechanisms.
Amendment 143 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 h (new)
Paragraph 5 h (new)
5 h. Highlights the need to invest in recollection infrastructure, sorting and recycling facilities, and positively values the creation of hubs that can also further optimise the recycling process by lowering the cost of logistics and align collection, sorting and recycling processes.
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 i (new)
Paragraph 5 i (new)
5 i. Calls to establish more collaborative research programmes engaging the textile and digital technology sectors to develop all the digital potential of the textile industry and its automatization. In addition to supporting the public-private partnerships that are emerging. Also calls to share results to unite synergies.
Amendment 146 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 j (new)
Paragraph 5 j (new)
5 j. Calls for supporting research, innovation, and investments in the textile sector. Facilitating innovation in the sector, both in the creation of new materials with a smaller environmental footprint and increased recyclability, automation of collection and classification processes, and innovation in production processes incorporating new digital technologies in the design for more attractive and circular products.
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 k (new)
Paragraph 5 k (new)
5 k. Calls to incentivize the development of processes which are less energy and water intensive dyeing and finishing processes, avoiding the use and release of harmful substances, developing sustainable bio-based materials, high- value textile recycling and technology transfer.
Amendment 150 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 l (new)
Paragraph 5 l (new)
5 l. Calls to encourage innovation in solutions to upcycle plastics from oceans as resources to create new textiles.
Amendment 151 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 m (new)
Paragraph 5 m (new)
5 m. Calls for innovation to avoid microfiber release at the design, production or washing stages through filters or other technical solutions.
Amendment 152 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 n (new)
Paragraph 5 n (new)
5 n. Calls to adopt technical screening criteria for easy investment what constitutes a substantial contribution to circular economy in the manufacture of textiles under the regulation on Taxonomy for sustainable investments.
Amendment 153 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 o (new)
Paragraph 5 o (new)
5 o. Highlights that SMEs in the textiles ecosystem are held back by a lack of skilled employees and its profession is not as attractive for young professionals. Therefore, considers necessary specific training and development plans adapting to new technologies are necessary with large investments in the upskilling and reskilling of personnel to ensure the innovation in this sector.
Amendment 154 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 p (new)
Paragraph 5 p (new)
5 p. Notes that women in the textile industry are often excluded from decision- making spaces; calls on employers in the textile industry to take steps to ensure female representation at managerial and leadership level and mid-level positions, and to ensure female representation at consultation forums.
Amendment 155 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 q (new)
Paragraph 5 q (new)
5 q. Calls for easy guidelines to access the funding that enables SMEs to transform their industries, with dedicated incentives, timing, availability of dedicated training and SMEs toolbox to reduce complexity. In addition to funding for demonstration, technology transfer and simplification of administrative processes.
Amendment 156 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 r (new)
Paragraph 5 r (new)
5 r. Stresses the need to start the implementation of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation on those textiles that have the highest environmental impact and are the easiest to implement, taking into the state of the technological feasibility.
Amendment 157 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 s (new)
Paragraph 5 s (new)
5 s. Calls for establishing transformation pathways in a progressive manner that allows the industry to adapt to the legislative requirements while reducing environmental footprint and increasing reusability, collection and recyclability. Targets should be based on the condition that there is sufficient amount of secondary materials, the right infrastructure exists to access these secondary materials, and technological feasibility. These targets may be dynamic and updated when conditions improve. And must ensure the economic viability of recycling in the face of fluctuating international textile prices with long-term security and perspectives.
Amendment 158 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 t (new)
Paragraph 5 t (new)
5 t. Calls to eliminate possible burdens for waste material recovery that cannot be used anymore at the textile sector and innovation in its possible uses for other sectors.
Amendment 159 #
Draft opinion
Paragraph 5 u (new)
Paragraph 5 u (new)
5 u. Underlines that an immediate ban on the destruction of unsold and returned textile goods should be enacted without delay under the Ecodesign Regulation; calls on manufacturers to remanufacture or recycle products when they are not fit for the final consumer.