VETting Green: towards
a transparent footwear
and textile industry
Council of the European Union meets in Brussels
On 21 June, the Council of the European Union adopted its position on the ‘Green Claims directive’, which aims to address greenwashing and help consumers make more informed decisions when buying a product or using a service. Ahead of the final discussions with the European Parliament in September and its entry into force, businesses should begin preparing for the new legislation, which will force those wishing to market their products using ecological marketing ‘labels’ to justify them with a minimum of requirements.
Businesses that fail to adopt the measures needed to comply with these regulations may incur penalties ranging from exclusion from contracts to fines of at least 4% of annual turnover. To help textile and footwear companies comply with this new scenario, a group of consumers and trade associations in Europe is working on the Erasmus+ VETting Green project.
European Footwear Confederation (CEC) Secretary General Carmen Arias said: “It is essential to put an end to greenwashing and, instead, recognise and compensate those companies that are making efforts in implementing authentic sustainable business practices. On the other side, consumers are more and more knowledgeable and request evidence and transparency on the products they buy, so the legislation is welcomed if the implementation does not carry unnecessary administrative burden.”