European Union news and archive

How the India-EU FTA will level the playing field for the textile and apparel industry

For many garment industry insiders who have navigated the ebb and flow of global supply chains for years, witnessing the formal signing of the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) on 27th January 2026 seems like the dawn of a new era. For decades, Indian exporters felt as if one hand was tied behind their backs as they faced stiff tariffs while...

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Business

US President Donald Trump suspends Greenland tariffs

MADRID – Amid the volatile and unpredictable trade strategy defining the current U.S. administration, President Donald J. Trump has announced the suspension of the so-called “Greenland tariffs.” The decision was shared late Wednesday afternoon, following the President's address at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos. Utilizing his social...

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“Setback by 50 years” - European fashion industry reacts to impending “Greenland tariffs”

As if the European fashion industry did not have enough on its plate already in view of rapid geopolitical shifts, impending regulation and environmental unpredictability, US president Donald Trump added to its woes this weekend: Eight countries supporting Greenland’s sovereignty - Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway,...

Fashion

Spain to host a 'reward-based' pilot programme for used clothing collection

Madrid – Europe continues to advance its sustainability, textile waste management and reuse objectives. The continent will finance the development of a disruptive pilot programme in Spain for used clothing collection, offering “rewards” to consumers. This initiative seeks not only to accelerate progress towards these strategic goals but...

Fashion

European textile federations call on the EU for "urgent action" against ultra fast fashion

Paris - "Without delay", "immediately": European textile and clothing companies "can no longer wait years for measures to be taken against ultra fast fashion", they write in a joint letter to the European Commission. Fashion and textile players are growing impatient with the slow legislative response to Shein, Temu and AliExpress. These large...

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France urges EU to delist non-compliant ecommerce platforms

Paris - The French government is urging the European Commission to swiftly adopt new powers that would allow it to "delist" online sales platforms that violate EU laws. According to a letter from Minister Véronique Louwagie, obtained by AFP, this measure is primarily aimed at companies like Shein. Louwagie wrote to European Commissioner for...

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US-EU Ttade agreement reached, aims for stability amidst uncertainty

Madrid – After months of intensive negotiations, representatives from the United States government and the European Union have successfully concluded a new trade and tariff agreement. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed the pact, stating it "creates certainty in uncertain times" and offers "stability and predictability for...

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Global apparel exports: EU displaces China from top spot

For the first time since 2005, China was not the world's leading apparel exporter last year. This is according to a report by the trade magazine “The Spin Off”, which refers to current data from the World Trade Organization (WTO). According to the report, European Union (EU) member states exported apparel worth a total of 166 billion dollars in...

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EU and Japan agree on closer cooperation

Japan and the European Union (EU) aim to further strengthen their cooperation in the areas of economic security, trade and defence. For this purpose, both sides launched a "Competitiveness Alliance" at a summit meeting in Tokyo. "We will expand our cooperation on increasing the resilience of supply chains and reducing strategic dependencies," a...

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France and Italy to collaborate on 'Made in Europe' initiative

Paris - French Economy Minister Eric Lombard and Industry Minister Marc Ferracci are scheduled to meet with Italian Minister for Businesses Adolfo Urso in Paris on Thursday. The objective of this meeting is to establish common ground regarding the challenges facing the European industry and the concept of "Made in Europe." The French ministers'...

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Fashion

Sweden eases clothing recycling due to overload in treatment centres

Stockholm – From October, Sweden will no longer be obligated to recycle clothes, despite European legislation, as textile waste treatment centres are overflowing, the government announced on Thursday, May 8, 2024. This decision, effective from October first, comes after the European Union imposed on member countries the requirement to have a...

Retail

E-commerce: Belgium faces "tsunami" of parcels from China

Brussels (Belgium) - A Belgian economic body believes that Belgium is facing a "tsunami" of small parcels sent by major players in Chinese e-commerce. It has stated that Belgium must urge the European Union to accelerate its customs reform, according to an opinion obtained on Thursday by AFP. The EU has been working for two years on a customs...