Softlines & Leather regulatory updates September 2023

Europe

Standard updates

The below table summarises the most recent standard updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):

(*) Date of withdrawal: The latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

Sustainability, circular economy, and environment (chemical)

The table below summarises the most recent publications regarding the environment, circular economy, and sustainability (non-exhaustive):

France

Additional list of dangerous substances published

On 14 September 2023, the Minister of Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion published Order of 30 August 2023 relating to the presence of dangerous substances in products generating waste.

One of the decrees (text No 15) establishes a first list of substances whose level of concern is comparable to substances of very high concern, in accordance with the recommendations of ANSES in its opinion issued on 25 March 2021. The listed substances are:

• Diisooctyl phthalate (CAS No. 27554-26-3)
• 1,3-benzenediol (resorcinol) (CAS No. 108-46-3)

Another decree (text No 16) designates an alternative method, Scan4Chem of informing consumers with specific information relating to the presence of dangerous substances in products generating waste through product barcodes which can be scanned by consumers.

AGEC Law (no. 2020-105 of February 10, 2020), relating to the fight against waste and the circular economy, created Article L. 541-9-1 of the environmental code which provides for the possibility of expanding and strengthening the information obligations for products generating waste, particularly in a dematerialized format. Decree No. 2021-1285 of 1 October 2021 relating to the identification of dangerous substances in products generating waste defines that the list of these substances is made up of a list of substances of extremely high concern (SVHC List according to REACH) added to the list of substances whose level of concern is comparable, this second list being established after advice from the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health Safety.

This came into effect on 15 September 2023.

For more information, visit the official publication here.

PRODUCT RECALLS / ALERTS

Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “Safety Gate (RAPEX)”) and the U.S. (Source “CPSC”).

Europe

Safety Gate (RAPEX) (European Commission Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Alerts reported by EU national authorities)

The following 10 alerts regarding clothing, textiles and fashion items were reported between week 35 and 38 of 2023.

UK

OPSS issues Product Safety Alerts on the UK market.

The following 2 alerts regarding clothing, textiles and fashion items were reported between week 35 and 38 of 2023.

Top ▲