The REACH4texiles project, which aims at exploring solutions for fair and effective market surveillance on textile products, has just kicked off. It addresses 3 objectives – keep non-compliant products away from the single market, increase skills and knowledge; and support a network addressing chemicals in textiles and applying the EU regulation 2019/1020.

The 2-year project funded by the European Commission, will share best practices, identify efficient approaches against non-compliant products and offer training and support for a more effective surveillance and for level playing field. The project welcomes collaboration with concerned authorities across the EU Member States.

The REACH4Textiles first objective (keep non-compliant products away from the EU Market) will be pursued by increasing knowledge on market surveillance functioning by and working on a risk-based approach to identify products at higher risk. The second objective supports a network to address the specificities of chemicals in textiles with market surveillance authorities and involving other relevant stakeholders. The third objective focuses on sharing knowledge with market surveillance actors on textile products and suitable test methodologies.

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 and 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, as per the media release.

Every year, about 28 billion garments circulate across Europe, 80 per cent of which are imported from outside the EU and its jurisdiction. Inevitably, such huge volumes pose enormous challenges for market surveillance authorities, which are called to ensure that uncompliant dangerous products are kept away from the EU citizens.

The European Union has the world’s most comprehensive chemical legislation, which is set to protect consumers, the environment and theoretically, even the competitiveness of the business. 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 actors. 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.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (KD)

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