From 2026, a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will be applicable throughout the European Union

Brussels – Eco-design of products throughout the European Union will soon become law and. From 2026, the ban on destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will be binding on all member countries. After the approval by a vast majority at the plenary session of the EU Parliament on April 23, the 27 EU governments gave the green light today (May 27)- with the sole exception of Italy, which abstained – to legislation of crucial importance for the Union’s environmental future. It now awaits the signature of the Chairs of the two co-legislators and publication in the Official Journal of the EU before entry into force 20 days later and full implementation after 24 months.

The new Regulation that the EU Commission proposed in March 2022 – which the rapporteur for the European Parliament Alessandra Moretti (PD) defined as the key to “freeing ourselves from the obsolete take-make-destroy model” at the final vote in Plenary – sees the foundations of ecodesign as being the ban on destruction of unsold clothes, the minimum requirements for eco-design of products on the European market, and a digital passport for product information. Technically, it amends the current eco-design directive (which dates back to 2009), expanding its scope, which, to date, only covers energy products. It also establishes new design requirements to limit the environmental impact and increase reliability, reuse, repair, and recycling.

The new Regulation will apply to several categories of products — dishwashers, televisions, windows, car chargers — and the Commission will have the power to extend the ban through delegated acts. Brussels will prioritize high-impact categories, including textiles (especially clothing and footwear), furniture (including mattresses), iron, steel, aluminum, tires, paints, lubricants, and chemical, electrical, and electronic products. For the first time, the Regulation will introduce a ‘digital passport’ for products, aiming to provide information on the environmental sustainability of those placed on the Single Market. In practice, it will be an easy-access label, which will allow people to consult information on the sustainability of the item purchased.

There is also a ban on the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear, and the Commission may extend the list of product categories subject to greater social and environmental sustainability in the future to incentivize a substantial change in the world of fast fashion production and beyond. The standards will come into force precisely two years after they enter into force, except for small and micro enterprises, while medium-sized ones will be affected after six years. Economic operators who destroy unsold goods – except for clothing, clothing accessories, and footwear for which the destruction ban applies – will be required to report annually the quantities of discarded products and the related reasons. In case of violations, it will be up to the member states to determine the penalties (harmonized among the Twenty-seven) to impose.