On 30 March 2022, the European Commission presented a package of European Green Deal proposals to boost the circular economy, which will have significant impacts on the world of work, in light of the necessary adaptations involved: reorganisations linked to changes in production methods, training staff to acquire new skills, etc. (see press release).
The Commission is proposing a framework, in the form of a Proposal for Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation “to make almost all physical goods on the EU market more friendly to the environment, circular, and energy-efficient throughout their whole lifecycle from the design phase through to daily use, repurposing and end-of-life”. Based on this framework, it will publish texts tailored to individual products. So far it has presented:
1/ A communication relating to an EU strategy for sustainable and circular textiles to combat the trend towards ‘fast fashion’. The aim is that by 2030, textile products placed on the EU market will be long-lived and recyclable, largely made of recycled fibres, free of hazardous substances and produced in a way that respects social rights and is not harmful to the environment. The Commission also plans to adopt guidelines to boost social enterprises engaged in the businesses of collecting and recycling, as these companies create 20-35 jobs per 1,000 tonnes of textiles collected.
2/ A Proposal for a Regulation laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products, which includes new requirements to ensure that the design and manufacture of these products are based on techniques that will make them “more durable, repairable, reusable and recyclable”
(Article published in IR Note 183 – 6 April 2022)
EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles
Date of publication
30 March 2022
Available language
English
Country/countries concerned
European Union
Categories
Cross industry social dialogue | European Social Dialogue | IR Doc
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