Frankfurt - The VDMA, the German Textile Machinery Association, has welcomed the ambitions of the EU to promote climate protection, in particular the approach of combining the goals for the EU textile and clothing industry into a sector-specific strategy.
Up to now, the increasing textile consumption around the world, due to growing population and purchasing power has been accompanied by a rising use of resources. “The textile machinery companies organised in the VDMA are geared towards a functioning circular economy. With our highly efficient technologies we are an indispensable partner in this transition process,” explained Regina Brückner, Chairwoman of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association and Managing Associate of Brückner Trockentechnik.
In the new position paper, the executive board of the VDMA Textile Machinery Association emphasises that the new framework must be practicable. Ms Brückner said: “The EU must strike the right balance between necessary, yet also minimal, legislative regulation. A successful transition requires a level playing field which sets out fair rules for sustainability, thereby enabling European companies to nonetheless increase their international competitiveness.”
The paper welcomes the EU's ambitions to promote climate protection and, in particular, to bundle the goals for the EU textile and clothing industry in a sector-specific strategy. Independently of this, raw material cycles that are specific to the value chain should also be considered, the VDMA said. The new framework and market conditions must also be practicable. They should facilitate progress in the transformation towards sustainability in the textile manufacturing and processing industry and support the competitiveness of the sector in the EU.
"The circular economy must lead to sustainable economic growth in the EU," the paper says. "Careful and realistic targets, clear planning horizons are a prerequisite for this, as is the support of investments as well as research and innovation.
"The textile manufacturing and processing industry is a global and very competitive market, which includes globally diversified and multi-level value chains and an almost inexhaustible range of products. The EU must find the right level of necessary but minimal legal regulation. A successful transformation needs a level playing field that sets fair rules for sustainability with which European companies can nevertheless increase their international competitiveness."
The complete position paper can be read / downloaded via these links: www.vdma.org/textile-machinery or www.industryarena.com/m4t
