EU textile EPR: dates and producer duties

Last updated: 15 October 2026

The revised Waste Framework Directive (Directive (EU) 2025/1892) requires every EU member state to set up extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for textiles and footwear. Producers will have to register in each country where they sell and pay fees towards collecting, sorting, reuse and recycling.

Key dates

1 January 2025: Separate collection of waste textiles became mandatory across the EU
16 October 2025: The revised Directive entered into force
17 June 2027: Member states must transpose it into national law
17 April 2028: EPR schemes for textiles and footwear must be established and operational
17 April 2029: Deadline for micro-enterprises (fewer than 10 employees and annual turnover below €2 million)

Section 01

Who is a producer

Manufacturers, retailers and importers, including online sellers, that make textile products available on the EU market.
Producers outside the EU must comply if they sell directly to consumers in an EU country.
Products include clothing, accessories, hats, footwear, household linen and curtains. National rules set the exact scope in each country.

Section 02

How fees will work

Fees are paid for the products you place on the market in each country, and national schemes set the fee levels.
Eco-modulation lets fees rise or fall with environmental performance, such as durability, repairability and recyclability.

Section 03

Where countries are now

France, the Netherlands and Hungary already run textile EPR schemes. France runs its scheme through the eco-organisation ReFashion.
Spain published a draft Royal Decree in June 2025 and notified an updated draft to the European Commission on 27 May 2026. The standstill period ended on 28 August 2026. We have not found the final decree.
Italy's Unified Conference gave a favourable opinion on its draft EPR regulation on 23 July 2026. Council of State review and Court of Auditors registration remain, with final approval expected by the end of 2026.
Ireland published a draft delivery plan in July 2026, consulted until 9 September 2026, and is aiming for an April 2028 go-live.
The UK has no mandatory textile EPR scheme yet. Industry bodies published a blueprint in January 2026 calling for one.

Section 04

Textile waste exports

From 21 May 2027, the revised Waste Shipment Regulation generally prohibits exports of non-hazardous ("green-listed") waste for recovery to non-OECD countries. The exception is countries on a Commission list: they had to ask to be included, and 24 countries did so by the February 2025 deadline. The Commission published a draft list on 18 September 2026, and the first list is due by 21 November 2026. Ghana was not among the 24 countries that asked. Whether a shipment of used clothing counts as waste or as goods for reuse depends on the shipment, so check before relying on either route. See our work with Landfills2Landmarks on textile waste in Ghana.

Section 05

What to do now

Map which countries you sell into, including online sales, and which entity is the producer in each.
Start collecting product weights and material data by category, since fees depend on volumes.
Expect to register separately in each country as schemes open.

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Sources

This page is for general guidance and does not constitute legal advice. Requirements depend on your products, entities and markets.

Led by Lavinia Fernandes, a UN/CEFACT UNTP Supply Chain Working Group member.

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