Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2011-05-10-Speech-2-682-000"
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"en.20110510.67.2-682-000"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I thank the rapporteur, Mr Manders, together with all the other shadow rapporteurs and the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) for their work towards reaching an agreement after difficult negotiations. I believe it is crucial to reach an agreement at second reading because it will allow citizens and businesses to benefit more quickly from new fibres and innovative products resulting from it, and national governments will be able to reduce costs.
Once again I thank the House for contributing to the interinstitutional debate through the amendments presented, some of which have given particular emphasis to the political dimension and consumer interest in this issue. In fact, at the first reading of this report when it was adopted by Parliament with a large majority, it was stressed that we need to launch a broad debate on the labelling of textile products, including the issue of origin marking and we proposed to extend the scope of the regulation to certain sectors. As you all know, the negotiations with the Council in the following months called for flexibility from all sides to identify workable solutions for the institutions.
I believe that the agreed text is a balanced compromise that incorporates many of the amendments presented by Parliament and leaves room for further developments in the near future, which – as Mrs Győri pointed out during her speech – is very important. In the short term, or as soon as the new regulation comes into force, consumers will have more information about the presence of non-textile parts of animal origin and will also have access to information on the full composition of textile products.
Another immediate result of the new regulation is simplification, since the Commission will turn a detailed technical attachment of more than 50 pages into harmonised European standards. However, even more importantly, the immediate results of this regulation are not the last stage of the process. On the contrary, they are a starting point for further analysis and for improving the legislation. In fact, in the short term the new regulation provides a comprehensive review clause which invites the Commission to set out, where necessary, further labelling requirements in this area. The Commission will then make suitable legislative proposals in the areas which require greater harmonisation. It is my intention – and I hereby take on the commitment before Parliament – to deal with this review both immediately and thoroughly.
We are already preparing for the task of consulting consumers on some fundamental questions, namely: what kind of information is important and how should it be made available; in what way should technological developments, such as electronic commerce, affect the purchase of textile products; to what extent does the growing need for traceability, sustainability and corporate social responsibility influence the textile fibre market; how can we make better use of available technology in the digital age; how can we, as institutions of the European Union, adapt our laws to the growing needs of citizens regarding ethical, social and environmental issues.
Mr President, these are just a few of the topics on which work has already started. As you can imagine, origin marking will undoubtedly be one of the priorities and core elements of our work. The review will therefore provide an opportunity to reaffirm my support for origin marking and clarify this issue once and for all, as it is an essential instrument for the competitiveness of European companies and the health of EU citizens. We will examine this matter in depth in order to provide clear rules, prevent misleading information and facilitate responsible choices by consumers when purchasing textile products.
As stated by the rapporteur, Mr Manders, the Commission will also evaluate the link between allergies and chemicals used in textile products. Specific analysis in this field will be able to indicate the best way to use existing legislation, such as REACH. Let me explain briefly: through the use of origin marking, buyers will be sure they are buying a textile product that is not harmful to their health nor that of their children because the labelling will comply with all the rules of this important regulation which, at the cost of significant sacrifices, European institutions have imposed on all industries in this sector.
The review clause – and again I thank the Council for having stressed its importance and declared their willingness to work with the Commission immediately to transpose the regulation – requires the Commission to submit a report, possibly followed by a legislative proposal, by 30 September 2013. I am determined to cut down the time required and have already instructed my staff to start work."@en1
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