State Secretary Jochen Flasbarth: "Cheap disposable clothing must not be a competitive advantage"
Germany, France and the Netherlands are advocating coordinated European action against ultra-fast fashion. The three Member States raised the topic at today’s EU Environment Council in Luxembourg, and called on the European Commission to make existing and planned EU provisions more effective against short-lived, low quality textiles. Their call was supported by other Member States, including Slovenia and Denmark.
State Secretary at the Federal Environment Ministry Jochen Flasbarth commented: "Ultra-fast fashion is only worn for a short time, but causes problems in the long run. Once discarded, it can rarely be re-used as a second-hand garment or recycled, placing a strain on used clothing collection. This is a burden on our resources, climate and waste management systems and puts companies that invest in long-lived, circular textiles under pressure. That is why we are calling on the European Commission to set higher sustainability standards for manufacturers of ultra-fast fashion. Producing cheap disposable clothing can no longer be a competitive advantage."
Germany is in favour of stringent provisions for textiles under the EU Ecodesign Regulation. These include requirements for recycled content, durability and recyclability. At the same time, in Germany's view, clear criteria are needed to enable the business model of ultra-fast fashion to be precisely defined and regulated.
Another key instrument is extended producer responsibility for textiles. Companies placing large quantities of short-lived clothing on the EU market should also take on an appropriate share of the costs of collection, sorting, re-use and disposal. Germany, France, the Netherlands and other supporters are also advocating better enforcement in relation to online platforms and direct sales from third countries. European environment and product standards must also apply to online retailers.
The EU has already adopted a number of measures to combat the flood of cheap products from non-EU countries. For example, from 1 July 2026 customs duties will be introduced for packages from non-EU countries. The previous exemption threshold of 150 euros will no longer apply. From then on, a fixed customs duty of 3 euros will be levied per product group in the package. Import VAT must also be paid. Also, an amendment to the Ecodesign Regulation already bans large companies from destroying certain unsold consumer goods. This provision will apply from 19 July 2026.
Background:
Under the ultra-fast fashion business model, large quantities of new and mainly low-priced textiles are produced at frequent intervals and marketed online. The goods are often short-lived and hard to reuse or recycle. They place a burden on collection and recovery systems for used textiles. The EU Ecodesign Regulation, the new extended producer responsibility for textiles and more robust market surveillance are key levers for an accelerated transition to durable, circular textiles.