The European Apparel and Textile Confederation, widely known as EURATEX, has welcomed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union Address, but has simultaneously issued a clear call for greater urgency in addressing the competitiveness challenges confronting Europe’s manufacturing sectors.
EURATEX acknowledged President von der Leyen’s recognition of the need to rebalance unfair trade, reduce administrative red tape, and reinforce Europe’s industrial and strategic autonomy. However, the confederation wasted no time in pressing the European Commission and EU Member States to move beyond acknowledgment and translate those commitments into concrete, actionable measures specifically tailored to the textile and apparel value chain.
Industrial Competitiveness Must Take Centre Stage
EURATEX expressed concern that industrial competitiveness received comparatively limited attention within the wide-ranging address and urged policymakers to place manufacturing sectors — particularly textiles — more firmly at the heart of the European policy agenda.
EURATEX Director General Dirk Vantyghem underscored the significance of a strong industrial base, stating: “Europe cannot build a strong defence, lead the green and digital transitions, or protect its social model on a weakening industrial base. Competitiveness is not just one chapter of the European project — it is the foundation all the others are built on; when we get that right, everything else becomes possible.”
Trade Imbalance with China and Calls for Stronger Enforcement
On international trade, EURATEX backed President von der Leyen’s focus on the European Union’s growing trade deficit with China, which the organisation noted has reached €1 billion per day. The European textile industry has faced mounting competitive pressure from China over several years, and EURATEX responded by calling for strengthened customs enforcement and enhanced monitoring of textile imports entering the EU market.
EU textile competitiveness, the confederation stressed, cannot be meaningfully advanced without addressing the structural trade imbalances that continue to undermine European manufacturers across the textile and apparel value chain.
Regulatory Simplification: A Priority for SMEs
EURATEX welcomed proposals to reduce administrative burdens and what President von der Leyen described as a “pact against gold-plating” — a commitment involving Member States to avoid adding unnecessary layers of national regulation on top of existing EU rules.
For the European textile industry, this issue carries particular weight. The vast majority of textile companies are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and these businesses are disproportionately affected by overlapping regulations and inconsistencies in how EU rules are interpreted and applied across different Member States. EURATEX indicated that meaningful regulatory simplification could contribute directly to improving the sector’s industrial competitiveness and operational efficiency.
EU Funding and the Multiannual Financial Framework
As discussions surrounding the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) progress, EURATEX is seeking dedicated financial support for the textile sector — reflecting what the organisation views as the industry’s strategic role in Europe’s green, digital and defence transitions. The confederation is keen to ensure that textile manufacturers retain access to targeted funding instruments as European spending priorities evolve in the years ahead.
Technical and Defence Textiles: A Strategic Contribution
EURATEX also welcomed plans for a new European Instrument for Strategic Enablers, designed to strengthen European defence capabilities. The organisation highlighted that technical and defence textiles — spanning protective equipment, ballistic materials, and smart textiles integrated into soldier systems — are an established and important component of Europe’s defence manufacturing base.
EURATEX stated it is prepared to engage with European institutions to ensure the textile sector is appropriately recognised within future initiatives in this area, reinforcing the broader case for EU textile competitiveness across multiple strategic domains.
EU-Canada Relations and Industry Partnerships
The confederation also drew attention to opportunities presented by plans to deepen EU-Canada relations through what has been described as an Alliance for the Future. EURATEX recently signed Memoranda of Understanding with both the Canadian Textiles Industry Association and the Canadian Apparel Federation. These agreements are expected to provide a practical foundation for expanded cooperation as industrial ties between Europe and Canada continue to develop.
Mediterranean Youth Skills Initiative
EURATEX further welcomed the proposed Mediterranean Youth Skills and Jobs initiative put forward as part of the State of the Union Address. The organisation is already actively engaged in skills development through the Pact for Skills and has ongoing activities across the Mediterranean region. EURATEX expressed its readiness to contribute its expertise to this new initiative, with the goal of generating employment and skills opportunities for young people throughout the textile and apparel value chain.
About EURATEX and the European Textile Industry
EURATEX represents the European textile and clothing industry, which comprises approximately 200,000 companies and employs around 1.2 million people. The sector generates more than €166 billion in annual turnover and encompasses businesses operating across textile and clothing design, development, manufacturing and marketing. EURATEX works alongside European institutions and international stakeholders on industrial policy, research and innovation, skills development, textile trade policy, and sustainable supply chains.
The confederation’s response to the State of the Union Address reflects its ongoing push to ensure that EU textile competitiveness remains a central and well-supported pillar of the broader European industrial agenda.
