Trade Awareness: How To Target ESPR European And American Sustainable Ecological Textile Regulations And Environmental Protection Preferential Tariff Avoidance Plan

In order to improve the performance of products sold on the EU market in terms of recycling, energy performance and environmental sustainability, and to achieve the goals and measures of the 2020 circular economy action plan, the European Parliament and the Council adopted a new regulation on ecological design of sustainable products (Eco design For Sustainable Products Regulation, ESPR), aiming to replace the existing Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC), which will enter into force on July 18, 2024. In the first half of 2025, the Commission will adopt the first ESPR work plan.

The EU Sustainable Product Ecological Design Regulation (ESPR) has formulated a unified sustainability standard, emphasizing that products must comply with the requirements of ecological design regulations before they can enter the EU market for circulation or use, so as to further strengthen the sustainability of the entire EU market.

Requirements of ESPR on products ESPR focuses on the durability, recyclability, reusability, upgradeability, repairability, ease of remanufacturing and recycling, energy efficiency, carbon footprint and environmental footprint of products sold in the EU to minimize the impact on environmental safety and resource consumption throughout the life cycle.

　 What products will ESPR focus on?

ESPR will follow the priority method and plan to cover all goods put on the EU market or put into use, including spare parts and intermediate products. In the first work plan cycle of the EU (2024-2027), we will focus on the following products: iron, steel, aluminum textiles, especially clothing, shoes and furniture, including mattress chemicals, detergents, lubricants, paint tires

Specific measures of ESPR ESPR is the basis of the European Commission's strategy to promote environmental sustainable development and circular products, and is a part of the European Green Agreement and the Action Plan for the Circular Economy. This regulation has made specific requirements on product digital passports, green public procurement and prohibition of destroying unsold consumer goods.

　 DPP digital product passport:

ESPR will launch digital product passport (DPP), which is a digital ID card for products, components and materials. It will store relevant information to support the sustainability of products, promote their circulation and enhance legal compliance. This information can include: product technical performance, materials and their sources, repair activities, recycling capacity and life cycle environmental impact. Estimated 2026 In January, the European Parliament will issue a bill on authorization of textile DPP, which contains specific requirements for textile DPP. It is expected that the textile DPP will come into effect in July 2027.

　　 Prohibited destruction:

For the first time, ESPR banned the destruction of unsold clothing, clothing accessories and footwear products in the EU's measures. Relevant enterprises must publicly disclose the information of the unsold products they discard every year, including the quantity and weight of the products discarded and destroyed every year, the reason for discarding, the destination and proportion of the final disposal, and the destruction measures of the unsold products.

　　 Green public procurement:

ESPR has formulated green public procurement (GPP) for products and services purchased by governments and public institutions Standards to ensure that the government takes environmental factors and prices into consideration when purchasing certain goods and services. This measure is likely to significantly increase the demand for sustainable products, thereby further encouraging companies to invest in this field.

Global sustainability regulations require California Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) is the first large textile and fashion companies in the United States to require them to report their greenhouse gases (GHG) annually Emissions in ranges 1, 2 and 3. The bill will come into force on January 1, 2026, and the first report will be submitted in 2027.

1: Direct greenhouse gas emissions from the company's business activities

2: Upstream indirect greenhouse gas emissions from energy purchased by the company

3: All other GHG emissions in the value chain

　　 New York Fashion Act:

The New York Fashion Act currently under consideration clearly requires that all fashion retailers or manufacturers (including companies headquartered outside the United States but whose products are sold in New York) operating in New York with a global total annual revenue of more than 100 million dollars should publicly disclose their sustainability and due diligence activities, and report in detail the impact of products on the environment and society, including carbon emissions, water footprint Chemical use, etc.

　　 French AGEC regulations:

The French AGEC regulations were promulgated in 2020 and apply to all goods sold in France. Through the termination of disposable plastics, provision of more information for final consumers, recycling, opposition to planned scrapping and improvement of production efficiency, the AGEC regulations achieve the sustainable development goal of transforming the fashion system from a linear economy to a circular economy.

At the same time, many recycling agencies in France have issued environmental protection incentives or subsidies for enterprises that are actively environmentally friendly. For the categories of clothing, home textile and footwear products, the eco modulations tax rebate policy launched by Re fashion, an ecological organization in the textile industry. Enterprises can apply for tax rebate bonus according to three standards:

Eco modulation 1-durability test: product sustainability (durability) bonus

Eco modulation 2-environmental certification: bonus for environmental certification

Eco modulation 3 - Using recycled materials: Include recycled materials in durability test

Textiles meet OEKO-TEX requirements of multinational regulations ® Sustainable solutions and extensive physical and chemical testing, including durability and sustainability, support enterprises in the textile value chain to conduct product management and sustainable management.

　　OEKO-TEX ® Series certification OEKO-TEX ® It can provide professional and sustainable solutions for the whole textile industry chain. From strict control of harmful substances in products to showing the traceability of products, actively promoting the transparency construction of the supply chain, and supporting enterprises to fulfill their due diligence obligations in human rights and the environment in their supply chain. Help enterprises better demonstrate to the market that they attach importance to health, sustainability and social responsibility.

The tax refund policy of environmental protection label was launched for Re fashion, and OEKO-TEX was held ® MADE IN GREEN Enterprises with label certification can get a tax rebate bonus, and each style can get a tax rebate bonus of 0.3 or 0.03 euros.

Durability test can prove that the product meets high quality and durability standards and can be used for a long time. Based on OEKO-TEX ® The standard is tested for harmful substances to protect the wearer from harmful chemicals. Fit process

Color fastness, such as color fastness to washing, light/sweat/rubbing

Physical properties, such as tensile strength, abrasion resistance Optical properties, such as dimensional stability, seam distortion or appearance after treatment Functional performance test, such as water resistance, air permeability, UV resistance test, weak points of single product, such as zipper, coating, seam slip resistance, aging of elastic band, etc

Can environmental protection clothing exported to the United States apply for tariff reduction or exemption of environmental protection products? How to operate?

Environmental friendly clothing exported to the United States may, under certain conditions, comply with the U.S. Environmental Preferential Tariff Program Products (EPP for short). The plan aims to encourage the production and consumption of environmentally friendly products. To apply for tariff reduction or exemption,

　　 The following are general steps ：

Understand the qualification requirements: check the relevant regulations of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to confirm whether the product meets the definition of environmental protection products.

Environmentally friendly clothing usually needs to be produced with sustainable materials, or reduce the impact on the environment in the production process.

Prepare certification materials: collect relevant documents proving the environmental protection characteristics of products, such as the use of organic materials, recyclable materials, low pollution processes and other certificates.

A report issued by a third-party certification authority may be required to prove the environmental protection attributes of the product.

Fill in relevant forms: It may be necessary to fill in the application form designated by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, such as CBP Form 287, which is used to apply for relief of specific items.

Provide a detailed description of the goods and evidence to prove their environmental protection properties.

Submit the application: Submit the complete application materials to CBP. Applications may be required to provide additional information or for further review.

　　 Pending approval:

CBP will review the application. If the application is approved, the exporter will be notified of the specific details of the tariff reduction.

　　 Follow up:

When the goods are exported, they shall be declared in accordance with the approved regulations on reduction and exemption. Keep all relevant documents and records for possible future inspection.

It should be noted that the specific provisions of tariff reduction and exemption may change with the adjustment of policies, so you should consult the latest laws and regulations or seek the help of professional import and export trade consultants before applying. At the same time, the definition and standards of environmental protection products in the United States may be different from those in China, so special attention should be paid to meeting the relevant requirements of the United States when preparing application materials.