Under the new rules, textile producers and fashion brands will be held accountable for waste management, requiring them to pay fees for the collection and treatment of waste.

These binding targets must be achieved at the national level by December 31, 2030, marking a significant step in waste management policy.

The agreement addresses the alarming statistics of approximately 60 million tons of food waste and 12.6 million tons of textile waste generated annually in the region.

On February 19, 2025, the European Council and Parliament announced a political agreement aimed at significantly reducing food and textile waste across the EU.

To further combat waste, member states are permitted to adjust these fees based on the longevity and durability of textile products.

The implementation of fees related to waste management will occur 30 months after the directive takes effect, with microenterprises given a 12-month compliance period.

As part of existing regulations, EU countries are required to establish separate collection systems for textile products by January 1, 2025.

This initiative follows a proposal from the European Commission in July 2023, which aimed to review EU waste regulations with a focus on food and textile waste.

The regulations encompass a wide range of textile products, including clothing, footwear, bedding, and home textiles.

The agreement sets ambitious targets, including a 10% reduction in food processing and manufacturing waste and a 30% reduction in waste per capita across retail, restaurants, food services, and households.

These targets represent the first of their kind at the EU level, calculated based on average annual waste generated between 2021 and 2023.

Additionally, the agreement encourages the voluntary donation of unsold, safe-to-eat food to help mitigate food waste.