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Ecodesign Regulation deal welcomed by CEC

Dec 13, 2023 CEC

The European Footwear Confederation (CEC) has welcomed the agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council on the European Commission’s proposed legislation on ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation

The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation, launched by the European Commission on the 30^th of March, establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements for most consumer products, in line with the ambitions of the EU Green Deal. CEC welcomed this outcome as an opportunity to encourage the transition of footwear companies towards more sustainable production.

This regulation includes a horizontal provision requiring large companies to disclose discarded products every year to tackle the unjustified destruction of goods. In fact, the ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear is expected to contribute to the EU Strategy for Sustainable and Circular Textiles by helping to reduce the “production of fast fashion models”, and promoting the “choice of more durable and repairable materials”.

But micro and small companies will be exempt from the ban and medium-sized businesses will have a longer period to adapt, which was welcomed by the CEC given the size of companies in the sector. The organisation also believes “that these provisions will eventually support the “rehabilitation” of leather, a sustainable and durable material, victim of market demonisation in the last years”.

Concerning ecodesign requirements, CEC argues that “rethinking ecodesign criteria is a future the footwear industry is working on”, but calls for “adequate research, time and funding” due to the complex nature of footwear. This is the only way to ensure “feasible ecodesign requirements for footwear” that can be implemented at a large scale.

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