EU news and archive

Unsold goods: EU bans their destruction, imposing a new model on fashion

A practice long considered a necessary evil in industrial fashion will become illegal from July 19. The EU will prohibit large companies from destroying their unsold clothing, footwear and accessories, ending the annual incineration and landfilling of millions of new items. Enshrined in the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR),...

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The Fabricant receives European support for AI project to improve fashion industry

The European Union is providing financial support to the Amsterdam-based fashion-tech company The Fabricant for the development of an AI-driven initiative. In collaboration with the University of the Arts London (UAL), the Image to Pattern project focuses on automating the conversion of design sketches into production-ready patterns, according...

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SME Fund 2026 launched to help EU businesses protect intellectual property

The SME Fund 2026 was launched yesterday, February 2, to help businesses protect their intellectual property. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), with the support of the European Commission and the intellectual property offices of the EU member states, has launched a new SME Fund programme for 2026. This initiative is aimed...

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Taxation of small Chinese parcels: EU moves to practical implementation

Brussels (Belgium) - The principle has been agreed, yet practical details remain to be settled. The 27 member states must find a provisional solution on Friday to tax the mountains of small Chinese parcels imported into the European Union “as soon as possible” in 2026. This move comes without waiting for the initial deadline set for 2028. Some...

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Amnesty International calls on textile giants to protect workers' rights

On Thursday, the NGO Amnesty International called on global textile companies and the governments of four Asian countries to take action to protect workers' rights and ensure decent wages. In two reports published on Thursday, the NGO states that fashion brands manufacturing in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka must urgently take...

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European textile federations call on the EU for "urgent action" against ultra fast fashion

Paris - "Without delay", "immediately": European textile and clothing companies "can no longer wait years for measures to be taken against ultra fast fashion", they write in a joint letter to the European Commission. Fashion and textile players are growing impatient with the slow legislative response to Shein, Temu and AliExpress. These large...

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France urges EU to delist non-compliant ecommerce platforms

Paris - The French government is urging the European Commission to swiftly adopt new powers that would allow it to "delist" online sales platforms that violate EU laws. According to a letter from Minister Véronique Louwagie, obtained by AFP, this measure is primarily aimed at companies like Shein. Louwagie wrote to European Commissioner for...

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Trump threatens tariffs over digital laws; EU counters

The EU remains unfazed by new tariff threats and demands from US president Donald Trump. Spokespeople for the European Commission, responsible for EU trade policy, made it clear in an initial reaction that the EU will not be dictated to by Trump regarding the rules it sets for digital platforms and businesses. They also referred to the recent...

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Trump on customs deal: 600 billion dollar ‘gift’ from EU

The 600 billion dollars pledged by the EU in investments as part of the customs deal with the US is at the free disposal of the US, according to US President Donald Trump. “They have given us 600 billion dollars that we can invest in anything we want,” he said in an interview with CNBC. Trump described the sum as a “gift” that is not a loan and...

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Temu under scrutiny: EU investigates potential digital law breaches

The Chinese online marketplace Temu is in breach of European digital law, according to an analysis by EU Commission experts. A preliminary assessment by the Brussels authority revealed a high risk for EU consumers encountering illegal products on the platform. The EU Commission stated that, under the Digital Services Act (DSA), Temu is obligated...

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EU-US trade deal: Trump hints at tariff reduction if EU opens markets

US President Donald Trump has offered to lower tariffs on the import of European products if the European Union opens its market further to the US. At an AI event, Trump said of the ongoing negotiations: "If they agree to open the Union to American companies, then we will levy a lower tariff." He added that serious negotiations were underway....

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Global apparel exports: EU displaces China from top spot

For the first time since 2005, China was not the world's leading apparel exporter last year. This is according to a report by the trade magazine “The Spin Off”, which refers to current data from the World Trade Organization (WTO). According to the report, European Union (EU) member states exported apparel worth a total of 166 billion dollars in...