EU news and archive

SME Fund 2026 launched to help EU businesses protect intellectual property

The SME Fund 2026 was launched yesterday, February 2, to help businesses protect their intellectual property. The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), with the support of the European Commission and the intellectual property offices of the EU member states, has launched a new SME Fund programme for 2026. This initiative is aimed...

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Taxation of small Chinese parcels: EU moves to practical implementation

Brussels (Belgium) - The principle has been agreed, yet practical details remain to be settled. The 27 member states must find a provisional solution on Friday to tax the mountains of small Chinese parcels imported into the European Union “as soon as possible” in 2026. This move comes without waiting for the initial deadline set for 2028. Some...

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Agreement reached on weakened EU supply chain law

The EU is set to weaken its European supply chain law, designed to protect human rights, even before its implementation. Negotiators from EU member states and the European Parliament have agreed in Brussels that the regulations will now apply to a much smaller number of large companies, as announced by both parties. The amendment still requires...

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Amnesty International calls on textile giants to protect workers' rights

On Thursday, the NGO Amnesty International called on global textile companies and the governments of four Asian countries to take action to protect workers' rights and ensure decent wages. In two reports published on Thursday, the NGO states that fashion brands manufacturing in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka must urgently take...

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EU Commission plans to reduce internet cookie clicks

Internet users should have to make fewer clicks for cookie settings in the future, according to the European Commission. Despite massive criticism from data protection advocates, the authority intends to address further digital regulations. It plans to weaken the European AI Act, as announced in Brussels. The comprehensive package aims to...

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EU backs small parcel duties to tackle China import flood

EU states on Thursday agreed to scrap a bloc-wide duty exemption on low-value orders from the likes of retail giants Temu and Shein to help tackle a flood of cheap Chinese imports. Currently there is no levy on packages worth less than 150 euros ($174) imported directly to consumers in the 27-nation bloc, in many cases via Chinese-founded...

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How can brands and retailers navigate EU textile and garment regulations?

In the European Union, a person consumes on average 19 kilograms of textiles per year according to the European Environment Agency (EEA). Of those, 8 kilograms are clothing, 7 kilograms are household textiles and 4 kilograms are shoes. “Nineteen kilograms basically compare to what can fit in a large travel suitcase,” compared EEA expert on...

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European textile federations call on the EU for "urgent action" against ultra fast fashion

Paris - "Without delay", "immediately": European textile and clothing companies "can no longer wait years for measures to be taken against ultra fast fashion", they write in a joint letter to the European Commission. Fashion and textile players are growing impatient with the slow legislative response to Shein, Temu and AliExpress. These large...

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Fashion faces ESPR knowledge gap: Why education must catch up with regulation

Europe’s new eco-design laws are about to shake the global fashion industry, and most players aren’t ready. From Asian factories struggling with data demands to universities slow to update design curriculums, the knowledge gap is widening just as regulators and investors push for rapid change. At the centre of this shift, this year’s Redress x...

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France urges EU to delist non-compliant ecommerce platforms

Paris - The French government is urging the European Commission to swiftly adopt new powers that would allow it to "delist" online sales platforms that violate EU laws. According to a letter from Minister Véronique Louwagie, obtained by AFP, this measure is primarily aimed at companies like Shein. Louwagie wrote to European Commissioner for...

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Trump threatens tariffs over digital laws; EU counters

The EU remains unfazed by new tariff threats and demands from US president Donald Trump. Spokespeople for the European Commission, responsible for EU trade policy, made it clear in an initial reaction that the EU will not be dictated to by Trump regarding the rules it sets for digital platforms and businesses. They also referred to the recent...

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Trump on customs deal: 600 billion dollar ‘gift’ from EU

The 600 billion dollars pledged by the EU in investments as part of the customs deal with the US is at the free disposal of the US, according to US President Donald Trump. “They have given us 600 billion dollars that we can invest in anything we want,” he said in an interview with CNBC. Trump described the sum as a “gift” that is not a loan and...