The Textile PRO (Producer Responsibility Organisation) Forum is coordinated by Euratex and comes as Europe prepares for the mandatory separate collection of textile waste and with the revision of the Waste Framework Directive entering its final stage. The EPR schemes have become a cornerstone of the European strategy for sustainability and circularity of textiles.
The Waste Framework Directive, in line with the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles, aims to boost the separate collection, sorting, reuse, and recycling for textiles and the EU Commission states it will create local jobs, save money for consumers, and mitigate the environmental impact of textile production.
These EPR schemes and the related PROs will operate differently in each EU Member State, reflecting national legislation, market conditions, and infrastructure. While this diversity reflects local features, it also presents a challenge for efficiency and for businesses which will face the complexity of up to 27 different EPR models for textiles.
The Textile PRO Forum, made up of 22 participating organisations, addresses this need by bringing together experienced PROs and national business associations engaged in the implementation of the Textile EPRs. Its mission is to foster collaboration, harmonisation, and knowledge-sharing among the Textile EPR Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs).
The Textile PRO Forums initial key activities include several strategic workstreams:
- Reduce administrative burden
- Harmonise approaches to implement the eco-modulation fees, set by legislation
- Supporting recycling
- Harmonise framework
- Set up, creation and expansion of PROs.
