The European Parliament and Council have just reached a provisional agreement on the upcoming Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation launched by the European Commission on the 30th of March 2022.
By establishing a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for most consumer products, this piece of legislation represents a cornerstone for the achievement of the EU Green Deal ambitions.For the European Footwear Confederation (CEC), "the interinstitutional negotiations are an opportunity to boost the transition of footwear companies towards a more sustainable production”.
In this regard, CEC applauds the "tackling of unjustified destruction of goods”. In practical terms, the organization believes that "the ban on destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will also contribute to the objectives of the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, namely, to decreasing the production of fast fashion models (…) and to revaluing the choice of more durable and repairable materials”.
CEC also welcomes the fact that "these provisions will eventually support the "rehabilitation” of leather, a sustainable and durable material, victim of market demonisation in the last years”.
For European industrialists, ecodesign criteria need to be rethought. Europe aims to be a pioneer and has taken the first steps, "as presented in the recent CEC World Footwear Congress”. "Footwear is a complex product composed of a multitude of materials and components, assembled with different techniques, subject to specific health, ergonomic and safety standards, and requiring specific recycling models”, recalls CEC, now led by the Spanish Rosana Perán. "Therefore, we reiterate the call for adequate research, time and funding in order to ensure feasible ecodesign requirements for footwear to be implemented at large scale”.
CEC looks forward "to a timely entry into force of the Regulation and, consequently, a fruitful cooperation with the European Commission on the elaboration of the specific guidelines for footwear ecodesign that should respect both peculiarities and requirements of a shoe”.
CEC looks forward "to a timely entry into force of the Regulation and, consequently, a fruitful cooperation with the European Commission on the elaboration of the specific guidelines for footwear ecodesign that should respect both peculiarities and requirements of a shoe”.