A newly launched project funded by the European Commission, REACH4texiles, aims to explore solutions for fair and effective market surveillance on textiles and apparel products.

Every year, about 28 billion garments circulate in Europe, 80% of which are imported from outside the EU and its jurisdiction. Inevitably, such volumes pose enormous challenges for market surveillance authorities which are called to ensure that uncompliant dangerous products are kept away from the EU citizens, says EURATEX, the voice of the European textile and apparel industry.

The European Union has the world’s most comprehensive chemical legislation, which is set to protect consumers, the environment and theoretically, the competitiveness of businesses. Such EU chemical legislation evolves constantly, increasing scope and ambition. New restrictions impact authorities and sectors like the European textile value chain and generate new costs for all players.

Evidence suggests that such advanced regulatory framework is not completed with an equally advanced or effective EU-wide control system capable of ensuring compliance, especially in the case of imported products, EURATEX explains.

The REACH4texiles project aims to explore solutions for fair and effective market surveillance on textile-based products and brings together the key players to address three objectives:

-Keep non-compliant products away from the single market.

-Increase skills and knowledge

-Support a Network addressing chemicals in textiles and applying the EU regulation              2019/1020

The two-year project will share best practices, identify efficient approaches against non-compliant products, and offer training and support for more effective surveillance and a level playing field. The project welcomes collaboration with concerned authorities across the EU Member States.

Supported by the European Commission DG Growth, the project team is coordinated by the Belgian test and research centre Centexbel and include the European Textiles and Apparel industry confederation, EURATEX, the German national textile and fashion association Textile und Mode, T+m, the Italian association Tessile e Salute. Several other European industry associations and national authorities are welcomed to become involved through the project activities.  

https://euratex.eu/