El Spanish Intertextile Council (CIE) met in Barcelona on September 22 and 23 EURATEX Sustainability Group —the European textile and clothing industry— to review the evolution of the EU regulatory framework and align a common agenda of the sector. Representatives of companies and associations from all over Europe participated.
The meeting in Barcelona served to organize, with a practical perspective, the regulatory roadmap affecting the European textile industry: what changes, when they come into effect, and how to implement them in companies' processes. Within this framework, an operational dialogue was opened with the European Commission, and priorities were shared with the Ministry of Industry during the Ecodesign Forum, aligning messages and a timeline so that the regulatory transition reaches the plant with the least possible friction. In the words of Mauro Scalia, director of Sustainable Businesses at EURATEX, "It is very important that the textile industry provides the European Commission with a clear and concise vision of what is needed to improve competitiveness.", a message that set the tone for the sessions.
The visit to Textile A. Ortiz It allowed us to contrast on the ground the implications of ecodesign (ESPR), traceability and the future Digital Product Passport, three levers that the sector identifies as decisive for competing in an increasingly demanding market.
Another focus of work was the value of European know-how: the ability to produce with recycled materials and to turn this technical advantage into a clear sales pitch for clients and opinion leaders. As he emphasized David Allo, Head of Sustainability at CIE, "It is essential that the market values the sustainability excellence of our companies and recognizes the importance of raw materials of European origin—including recycled materials—in addressing textile waste.". In parallel, the need to deploy rigorous environmental claims (Green Claims) was addressed, reinforcing the credibility of the message and, at the same time, promoting the use of recycled content from Europe.
All this was accompanied by a shared noticeAvoid premature or overlapping labeling layers if the Digital Product Passport and ecodesign requirements are not yet sufficiently mature, especially given the impact this would have on SMEs.
Texfor, who currently holds the presidency of the CIE, served as host and meeting point for industry, associations, and administrations. His role facilitated the framework for developing a common agenda, prioritizing messages, and translating regulatory complexity into useful business language.
The result is a call for more cohesive sectoral governance and a work plan that combines ambition and realism: accelerating technical developments linked to ecodesign, traceability, and footprint assessment, while protecting competitiveness and recognizing the industrial leadership that Spain brings to the European textile industry as a whole.