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Future EU textile strategy must primarily promote re-use and the social economy


NGOs are calling on the EU Commission to strengthen the circular economy and the social economy as the key to the crisis resilience of the textile collection

The corona crisis presents textile collectors with major challenges. The EU textile strategy announced by the EU Commission in the Circular Economy Action Plan is a chance for future improved crisis resilience while at the same time strengthening resource conservation, waste avoidance and additional social benefits. 65 civil society organizations, including four from Austria - Ökobüro - Allianz der Umweltbewegung, SDG Watch Austria, Umweltdachverband and RepaNet, the Austrian network for re-use and repair - have developed recommendations for a circular and fair textile industry.

The Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) states that the comprehensive EU strategy for textiles should include the expansion of the EU market for recyclable textiles, including the market for reuse. The bundle of measures should include the promotion of sorting, reuse and regulatory measures such as extended manufacturer responsibility. (CEAP p.12)

Demanding a consistently circular approach

What such a strategy should look like was put on the table by civil society today. The suggestion of one "European Strategy for Sustainable Textile, Garments, Leather and Footwear" For sustainable textiles, clothing, leather and shoes, 25 pages deal with due diligence, product policy, supply chain responsibility, extended producer responsibility (EPR), public procurement, waste law, new business models and trade policy.

By 2025, a separate, comprehensive collection of textiles by manufacturer systems will be introduced in the EU. However, further regulations are needed to take full advantage of this development. “The EU textile strategy now offers the opportunity to permanently reduce negative effects on the environment through a consistently circular approach and at the same time to promote non-profit collectors. That is why we are already actively involved in the discussion together with our EU umbrella organization RREUSE, ”explains Matthias Neitsch, expert for recycling management and managing director of RepaNet.

The area of ​​extended manufacturer responsibility is particularly important: If textile producers co-finance the end of life management, the necessary financial resources for textile collection, sorting and preparation for reuse could be made available. Such a system already exists in France.

Promote social economy as pioneers

"The establishment of a functioning and financially self-supporting market for reuse has so far been politically neglected at EU level and in Austria. Here, guidelines must be based on the applicable European waste hierarchy and treat reuse as a priority before recycling. We appeal to the Austrian government to actively ensure that as many of our proposals as possible are included in the EU strategy. "Says Neitsch, who also emphasizes the role of non-profit and social economy companies in this area:" They have been doing pioneering work for decades by they achieve high regional added value through textile re-use, conserve resources and at the same time support the weakest in our society and promote them through fair jobs. This achievement must finally be recognized and financially secured - also to create crisis resilience. At the moment we can clearly feel how important this is. "

Because currently all textile collectors in Austria have difficulty handling the re-use goods due to corona-related restrictions on collection, sorting and distribution. An EPR regulation would create a bit of resilience here in the future. But in order to take pressure out of the situation at short notice, private households are currently encouraged to store sorted, well-preserved textiles at home for the time being and only to donate to non-profit collectors only after the corona situation has eased. "This supports not only the ecological but also a social purpose," concludes Neitsch.To the “European Strategy for Sustainable Textile, Garments, Leather and Footwear” (English)

About RepaNet

RepaNet represents the interests of Austria's socially oriented re-use companies and existing repair networks and repair initiatives, acts as a "lobby for re-use" and is one of the key players in the current circular economy debate with a strong focus on intelligent, fair use of raw materials by extending the life of the product , as well as the creation of fair jobs for the disadvantaged and the involvement of civil society in this sector. RepaNet's many achievements at EU level include the five-tier waste hierarchy, which re-use clearly places before recycling, and the strengthening of social economy companies in the EU Waste Framework Directive.

ON THE CONTRIBUTION TO OPTION AUSTRIA


Written by Re-Use Austria

Re-Use Austria (formerly RepaNet) is part of a movement for a "good life for all" and contributes to a sustainable, non-growth-driven way of life and economy that avoids the exploitation of people and the environment and instead uses as few and intelligently as possible material resources to create the highest possible level of prosperity.
Re-Use Austria networks, advises and informs stakeholders, multipliers and other actors from politics, administration, NGOs, science, social economy, private economy and civil society with the aim of improving legal and economic framework conditions for socio-economic re-use companies, private repair companies and civil society Create repair and reuse initiatives.

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