REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the application of Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 on textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of the fibre composition of textile products
Date: 2014-10-29
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: allergy, chemical product, consumer information, labelling, market supervision, marketing standard, product designation, textile fibre













EUR-Lex - 52014DC0633 - EN











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52014DC0633

REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL on the application of Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 on textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of the fibre composition of textile products /* COM/2014/0633 final */









REPORT FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL
on the application of Regulation (EU) No
1007/2011 on textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of the fibre
composition of textile products
1.      INTRODUCTION
Article
23 of Regulation (EU) No 1007/2011 of 27 September 2011 on textile fibre names
and related labelling and marking of fibre composition of textile products (‘the
Textile Regulation’ or ‘the Regulation’)[1]
requires the Commission to submit to the European Parliament and to the Council,
by 8 November 2014, a report on the application of the Regulation, with an
emphasis on requests for and adoption of new textile fibre names. This Article
also requires the Commission to submit a legislative proposal if appropriate.  
This
report gives an overview of the application of the Textile Regulation in the Union between 8 May 2012 and the end of June 2014. It covers the requests for and adoption
of new textile names, and other main application issues signalled to the
Commission by Member States and relevant stakeholders. It also presents
stakeholders’ perceptions of the impact of the Regulation. Finally, it presents
possible future developments.
The
report has been established on the basis of consultations with experts from the
Member States, industry and other stakeholders, in particular in the Commission’s
Expert Group on Textiles Names and Labelling (‘the Textile Expert Group’ or ‘TEG’).[2] It
also takes account of information provided in response to questionnaires
distributed among competent Member State authorities and other stakeholders.
2.      OVERVIEW
OF THE REGULATION  
2.1.   Objectives
of the Textile Regulation and new elements
As
from 8 May 2012, the Textile Regulation repealed and replaced the three ‘Textile
Directives’: Directive 2008/121/EC on textile names, Directive 96/73/EC on
certain methods for the quantitative analysis of binary textile fibre mixtures
and Directive 73/44/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States
relating to the quantitative analysis of ternary fibre mixtures. Textile
products that comply with Directive 2008/121/EC and were placed on the market
before 8 May 2012 may continue to be made available on the market until the end
of the transition period (9 November 2014).
The
Regulation shares the general objectives of the previous Textile Directives,
i.e. to eliminate potential obstacles to the proper functioning of the internal
market and to provide consumers with adequate and relevant information. It
also aims to introduce more flexibility so that the legislation can be adapted in
line with the technological developments expected in the sector. In
addition, it provided an opportunity to simplify and
improve the regulatory framework for the development and uptake of new fibres,
and to enhance the transparency of the process of adding new fibres to the list
of fibre names.
The Regulation revised the main provisions of the Textile Directives
in line with recent legislative standards to facilitate its direct
applicability and ensure that citizens, economic operators and public
authorities can easily identify their rights and obligations. Most provisions
have remained unchanged in substance, but in some cases the wording or
numbering of articles has been changed (see Annex IX to the Regulation).
However,
the Regulation does introduce some important new elements:
·     
a general obligation to state the full fibre
composition of textile products and clarification of the rules regarding labels
and marks indicating fibre composition;
·     
minimum technical requirements
for applications for new fibre names;  
·     
a requirement to indicate the presence of
non-textile parts of animal origin;
·     
clarification of the exemption for customised
products made up by self‑employed tailors; and
·     
empowerment of the Commission to adopt delegated
acts amending the technical annexes to the Regulation.
2.2.   Scope,
subject matter and reporting provisions 
The Textile Regulation applies to
textile products[3]
and products or textile components made up at least 80 % by weight of
textile fibres.[4]
It contains rules on:
-     the
labelling and marking of the fibre composition of textile products;
-     the
labelling or marking of textile products containing non-textile parts of
animals; and
-     the
determination of the fibre composition of textile products by quantitative
analysis of binary and ternary textile fibre mixtures. 
The Regulation does not regulate other
types of labelling, such as size or care labelling. However, Article 24
required the Commission to submit to the European Parliament and to the Council,
by 30 September 2013, a report regarding possible new labelling requirements to
be introduced at Union level with a view to providing consumers with accurate,
relevant, intelligible and comparable information on the characteristics of
textile products. In addition, Article 25 required the Commission to carry out
a study to evaluate whether there is a causal link between allergic reactions
and chemical substances or mixtures used in textile products.
Accordingly, on 25 September 2013, the
Commission adopted a report[5] on possible
new labelling requirements for textile products and on the study on allergenic
substances in textile products. It concluded that the current labelling requirements
for textile products are adequate. As regards labelling requirements for
allergenic substances used in textile manufacturing, the Commission considered
further efforts in research and deployment of alternative and non-allergenic
substances to be important and indicated possible action in this respect.
2.3.   Delegated
acts to amend certain annexes to the Regulation
Article
21 of the Regulation empowers the Commission to adopt delegated acts to amend
Annexes II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII and IX to take account of technical progress.
Delegated acts may be also adopted to amend Annex I to include new textile
fibre names in the list of textile fibre names. Delegated acts may be adopted, subject
to the technical criteria and procedural rules in Article 22, for a period
of five years from 7 November 2011. 
Under
Article 22, the Commission is to draw up a report on the delegation of power no
later than nine months before the end of the period, i.e. by 7 February
2016. The delegation of power is tacitly extended for five years unless the
European Parliament or the Council objects no later than three months before
the end of the period. The Parliament or the Council may revoke the delegation
of power at any time.
3.      FUNCTIONING
OF THE REGULATION
3.1.   Approach
and methodology of this report
In preparing this report, the Commission
assessed the practical functioning of the Regulation and the achievement of its
main objectives. It also sought to identify where it might be possible to improve
the application of the Regulation.
A survey was organised and targeted
consultations were conducted with experts from Member States, industry and
retail associations, trade unions, consumer associations, European
standardisation bodies and other stakeholders, especially via the TEG.
The
Commission’s survey to gather structured information from Member State authorities and stakeholders was conducted on the basis of two questionnaires that were
published on its website and distributed via the Enterprise Europe Network and
SME networks;[6]
one was addressed to public authorities and the other to other interested
parties. The responses were presented and discussed in the TEG.[7] 
Full or partial responses to the first questionnaire
were received from 27 Member States and Norway.[8]
The second questionnaire attracted 29 responses from 15 different Member States
(and one from Switzerland), including nine from companies and 14 from industry
associations. The response level is considered positive given the very specific
subject matter.
It proved difficult to gather
information on the costs incurred by competent authorities or operators in implementing
the legal requirements, probably because these are difficult to quantify.
The main findings of the evaluation,
which are based on the discussions with public authorities and stakeholders,
and the information collected via the two questionnaires, including the
Commission’s final assessment, are set out below.
3.2.   Adaptations
to the new legal framework
3.2.1.      Adaptation
of national legislation  
Since
the Textile Regulation is directly applicable, its provisions do not need to be
transposed. Nevertheless, Member States have to ensure that their national
legal systems are in line with the new legislation, for example by repealing
national measures transposing the previous Textile Directives.
According
to the information provided, the Member States that sent contributions to this
report have taken steps to ensure correct application of the Regulation. In
general, this has involved repealing or amending existing national regulations,
decrees and decisions, and/or adopting new legal acts. The changes have mainly been
aimed at empowering competent authorities, including market surveillance
authorities, and determining penalties for supplying misleading or insufficient
information in response to the requirements of the Regulation. The majority of
Member States completed the necessary adaptations on time, but some did so only
after the entry into force of the Regulation (8 May 2012). At the time of writing,
certain Member States were still in the process of adapting their national
legislation or were intending to introduce amendments in the near future.
3.2.2.      Dissemination
of information about the Textile Regulation
Although
the Regulation does not require information campaigns, measures were taken in
the majority of Member States to inform relevant economic operators and
stakeholders of its impact. Campaigns were organised either by public
authorities or professional organisations, chambers of commerce and consumer
organisations, often in cooperation with public authorities. Information was often
cascaded from ministries to professional associations and then to their
members. Information was disseminated through seminars and circulars,
background materials, website information, articles in trade journals and national
newspaper and radio interviews. Several stakeholders considered that additional
action was needed to improve knowledge of the Regulation, especially among
SMEs. No information campaign was organised at EU level.
The
majority of Member State respondents observed an increase in the number of
requests for information, essentially from businesses, following the adoption
of the Regulation.[9]
The provision that elicited by far the most questions was Article 12, which
introduced a requirement to indicate non-textile parts of animal origin. Questions
concerned not only new provisions, but also old ones, perhaps as a result of the
information campaigns, of stakeholders (some not yet fully aware of the existing
legislation) taking a renewed interest in textile product labelling, or of some
old provisions being worded and numbered differently and therefore appearing
different. This may also reflect the presence of new entrants on the market,
new product types or new business models and distribution/sales strategies,
including online retailing with an e-commerce presence only. 
It
was also observed that every change of legislation triggers an increased number
of enquiries, regardless of how many provisions are amended. The Commission and
some Member States noted a falling‑off in the number of requests for
information several months after the Regulation became applicable.   
3.3.   Main
identified impacts
The
direct application of the Textile Regulation helped to ensure that businesses
(producers, importers, retailers, etc.) are faced with harmonised and
transparent requirements, and that consumers are properly informed and thus
more confident in their decision‑making. There was consensus among Member States and stakeholders that the direct applicability in all Member States also streamlined
the often lengthy and cumbersome process of implementing Union legislation.
The
majority of Member State authorities reported no major difficulties or specific
problems, possibly because the Regulation had become applicable only recently. Other
  Member States and stakeholders conveyed a number of concerns, some of which
related to unchanged provisions.
The
requirement to indicate non-textile parts of animal origin (Article 12) and the
requirement to label or mark textile products in the languages of the Member
States in which the products are marketed (Article 16(3)) were cited by some
Member States and many stakeholders as causing most problems (confusion, unnecessary
complexity and cost). 
Under
Article 12, the presence of non-textile parts of animal origin in textile
products must be indicated by including the phrase ‘Contains non-textile parts
of animal origin’ on the labelling or marking of the products concerned. Both
the Commission and the relevant authorities in Member States received several
enquiries from businesses asking for clarification as to whether even very
small parts of animal origin, such as (pieces of) bone, pearl
or horn,
have to be indicated (they do). 
Article
16(3) requires the labelling or marking to be provided in the
official language(s) of the Member State on the territory of which the product
is made available to the consumer, unless that country provides otherwise. A
number of stakeholders claimed that this increased costs, but views
varied as to the extent: some claimed that the costs were substantial, while
others considered them rather limited.    
Difficulties
were also reported as regards the application or understanding of other
provisions, such as: Article 14(2), which allows economic
operators within the supply chain to replace labels or markings by accompanying
commercial documents; the reference to Annex VII in Article 19 (items not to be
taken into account for determining the fibre composition); the ‘exceptions’
under Annex V (products for which labelling or marking is not mandatory); and the
special provisions for certain textile products in Annex IV.  
While
some new provisions, in particular Articles 12 and 16(3),
were seen as ambiguous, burdensome and costly to stakeholders, they were also
recognised as those which did most to ensure that more information was conveyed
to consumers. It is also legitimate to ensure that consumers are informed in
their own languages. Also, businesses are free to provide any additional
information they consider useful, provided it is not misleading for consumers.    
3.4.    Market
surveillance activities
Market
surveillance of textiles is based on the same principles as that in all other
product areas. The Textile Regulation involves no market surveillance mechanisms
over and above the general mechanisms applicable in Member States. For the most
efficient use of staff, equipment, transport and testing resources, the
authorities work on the basis of annual inspection programmes, notified to the
Commission, which take into account previous experiences and findings, products
notified frequently through the RAPEX system[10] and
consumer complaints. The programmes prioritise consumer product groups with frequently
encountered risks to the health and safety of consumers, often on the basis of
information received from consumers, enterprises and other sources. Priorities
may change from year to year or whenever new problem areas emerge. In addition,
where required (e.g. in emergency situations), Member State authorities carry out controls and tests that are not necessarily covered in their
programming.
Only a few countries[11] included
textiles explicitly in their national market surveillance programmes. In
general, even if referring explicitly to textile products, market surveillance
controls cover compatibility checks outside the scope of the Regulation, e.g. safety
issues, such as the length of laces, buttons and the release of small parts that
may cause choking. 
Apart from general market surveillance
authorities, other bodies exist which aim to protect companies and consumers from
unfair competition and misleading advertising.[12]
Such bodies can be contacted directly by anyone suspecting such practices.
There is no single approach to the different
types of inspection in relation to the Textile Regulation, as the weight given
by Member States to each type of inspection varies to some extent. The results
of the survey among national authorities showed that regular periodic
inspections and ad hoc controls are the most common forms of inspection in the
majority of Member States. Direct contacts with manufacturers and other
economic operators are less important.  
The
survey highlighted two kinds of problem reported by market surveillance
authorities as regards application of the Regulation; these concerned:
-     non‑compliance
by businesses, namely: the use of textile fibre names not listed in Annex I;
the non-indication of fibre composition in the official language of the country
in which the product is marketed; the incorrect indication of fibre composition
on a label or marking; and no label or marking at all; and
-     means
and tools: national authorities’ market surveillance and testing activities affected
by limited availability of resources, both human and financial, resulting in a reduced
number of samples that can be tested.
Although
there are no statistics at Union level on the compliance of textile products
with the Regulation, it seems generally that no severe problems were registered
by market surveillance or customs authorities, possibly because they do not always
consider textile fibre composition to be a high‑risk priority. However,
it appears that the level of compliance is not always satisfactory.[13] Also,
in the absence of sufficient checks and controls on the fibre composition of
textile products, there is a risk of consumers buying products labelled as
containing expensive fibres (e.g. cashmere, silk) which are actually
made of less expensive fibres. The Commission therefore encourages
Member States to increase their participation in joint enforcement action which
allows national authorities to share resources, expertise and results while
ensuring a coordinated and harmonised approach to enforcement. The Commission has
the possibility to co-finance such joint action, also in the field of textile
fibre composition.[14] 

3.4.1.      Penalties
for infringements of the Textile Regulation
Member States have provided for a wide
range of penalties, including administrative and judicial, for infringements of
the Textile Regulation. The toughest administrative penalty seems to be the
withdrawal of the non‑compliant product from the market, but this is apparently
used only in exceptional cases. The level of penalties varies considerably across
Member States and some stakeholders suggested that a harmonised European system
should be introduced under the Regulation. (In its Communication A vision
for the internal market[15],
the Commission signalled its intention to consider a legislative proposal involving
a harmonised approach to economic penalties in the internal market for
industrial products).
According to Commission surveys, the
level of knowledge and information on penalties is rather limited among
stakeholders. In the opinion of some, the penalties are not severe enough as
fines do not act as deterrents.
3.5.   Guidance
by the Commission
To complement the Regulation, the
Commission has drawn up a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) to provide
businesses with answers to questions raised by its application. The list is
updated regularly and made publicly available on the Commission’s website.[16] The answers
do not, however, interpret
the provisions of the Regulation, since binding interpretation of EU
legislation is the exclusive competence of the Court of Justice of the Union.
Following the experience with the FAQs
and consultations with stakeholders and Member States, a common view has
emerged that the list of FAQs could be replaced or complemented by a more
structured and comprehensive guidance document giving an overview of the main
issues relating to the understanding of the Regulation. It would not, however,
interpret the provisions of the Regulation since, as stated above, binding interpretation
of EU legislation is the exclusive competence of the Court of Justice of the Union. The document could be discussed and elaborated with the assistance of the TEG.
The TEG plays an important role in the
application of the Regulation. It took up the tasks of the previous working group,
with the exception of those relating to transposition, which no longer applies
with the (directly applicable) Regulation. The TEG discusses and exchanges
views on the application of the Regulation, gathering information to better understand
difficulties and come up with a common interpretation of its provisions. It is
composed of Member State representatives and interested stakeholders’ experts
attend the meetings as observers when appropriate.
3.6.   Standardisation
Article 19 of the Regulation requires the
checks for determining the fibre composition of textile products to be carried
out in accordance with the methods for the quantitative analysis of binary and
ternary textile fibre mixtures set out in Annex VIII, or with harmonised standards.
As regards the possible use of the
latter, the Commission is considering submitting a standardisation request to the
European Committee for Standardisation (CEN). Tentatively, this request may
include: 
-    
the screening of quantification methods (of Annex VIII
and EN ISO standards);
-    
identifying differences in requirements and possible
remedial action; and 
-    
developing harmonised standards for the analysis of textile
products composed of binary and ternary fibre mixtures.
Several Member States have pointed out that there is no single
established method for the identification of fibres. There are diverging views about
the advantages and disadvantages of optical, chemical and infra‑red fibre
identification methods.
4.      NEW TEXTILE
FIBRE NAMES
4.1.   Provisions
of the Regulation
Adding
a new fibre to the annexes to the previous Textile Directives necessitated a
lengthy procedure, between the initial application for a new fibre and its
legal adoption at European level,[17]
requiring EU Member States subsequently to adapt their national laws. This
resulted in administrative burden for public authorities, losses of revenue for
enterprises and delays in bringing the new fibre to market, notably for the
enterprise which developed it. Such delays were perceived as a constraint with
negative impacts on innovation.   
Under
the Textile Regulation, new fibre names may be added through delegated acts of
the Commission, which are directly applicable and do not require any
implementation procedure by Member States.  
Under
Article 5 of the Regulation, only the textile fibre names listed in Annex I are
to be used for the description of fibre composition on the labels and marking
of textile products. Annex I currently sets out two groups of fibre names: Table
1 includes natural fibres (items 1 to 18), such as wool, silk, cotton and
linen; while Table 2 includes man-made fibres (items 19 to 49),[18] such
as viscose, nylon, polyester and elastane. A description is given alongside each
fibre name.
The
Textile Regulation also introduced a new provision (Article 6) whereby any
manufacturer or person acting on a manufacturer’s behalf may apply to the
Commission for a new textile fibre name to be added to Annex I. The application
has to include a technical file[19]
containing, at least:
-     information
on the proposed name and definition of the textile fibre; 
-     identification
and quantification methods; 
-     certain
fibre parameters and properties; and
-     production
process and relevance to consumers. 
The applicant has to provide the
Commission services with representative samples of the new fibre, both pure and
in the relevant textile fibre mixtures, for the purpose of the fibre validation
and quantification analysis.
4.2.   New fibre
names 
Three requests for the adoption of new
fibre names are taken into account for the purpose of this report. Two were
submitted before the Textile Regulation entered into force, but the assessment
of the respective technical files was completed when the Regulation was already
applicable. However, the level of information provided in those dossiers was
considered sufficient to allow for a decision in comparison to the requirements
set by the Regulation.
The first request concerned ‘polypropylene/polyamide
bicomponent’ and was submitted to the Commission in 2005 under the old Textile
Directives. The name was added to the list in Annex I under the newly adopted Textile
Regulation in accordance with Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 286/2012;[20] 
     The second request,
for the generic name ‘triexta’ (a type of polyester fibre), was submitted to
the Commission in early 2011. After examining the technical file in cooperation
with the TEG, the Commission considered the application to be receivable. An
in-depth technical analysis was then carried out in order to validate the
proposed definition, check the fibre’s properties and verify the parameters on
the basis of which it could be distinguished from other fibres. The results of
the analytical work were presented to and discussed with Member State and stakeholders’ experts, and are publicly available.[21]
This type of fibre,
commonly identified in commercial and technical documents as PTT (polytrimethylene
terephthalate), was first patented in the 1940s and has been made
commercially available as polyester. Furthermore, its chemical
characteristics do not differ radically from those of
other polyester fibres and it may therefore be designated as polyester. After
the final assessment, at the end of May 2014, the Commission informed the
applicant that ‘triexta’ fibre would not be added to the list in Annex I to the
Regulation. 
     The third
request, for the generic name ‘polyacrylate’, was received by the Commission in
January 2014, i.e. after adoption of the Regulation. After examination of
the technical file, the application was considered receivable. The procedure is
ongoing and a final decision has yet to be taken and is expected next year.
4.3.   Processing
of applications for new fibre names
None
of the above requests for the adoption of new fibre names underwent the whole assessment
procedure provided for under the Textile Regulation, i.e. from initial
application to legal adoption at European level.
They
do not, therefore, provide a basis for evaluating fully the effectiveness and
efficiency of the Regulation in simplifying and accelerating the procedure for
amending Annex I to include new fibre names. It is, however, to be expected that
the use of a Commission Regulation, rather than Directives and a comitology
procedure, substantially accelerated the process of adding a new fibre name to
the list in Annex I.
As regards applications made since 2011,
the
information submitted fulfilled the minimum requirements of Annex II and in
addition the applicants were asked to present the fibre characteristics at a
meeting of the TEG and, where appropriate, to provide additional information to
the Commission services.   
Despite limited experience of the new
process for applications and adopting new fibre names, the Commission considers
that, for the time being, both the procedures and the criteria are balanced and
relevant. However, while respecting the existing regulatory framework, there is
some scope for practical improvement, notably enabling wider stakeholder
consultation. 
5.      CONCLUSIONS
AND OUTLOOK
The
period provided for by the Regulation for carrying out an evaluation of its
application was limited (2012-14) and insufficient for detecting all the strengths
and weaknesses of the legislation for the time being.
The
general outcome of the survey and consultations with Member States’ and other
stakeholders’ experts seem to show that the Regulation has been
functioning well since it entered into force. It provides for appropriate
measures to achieve its objectives, namely the proper functioning of the
internal market, giving accurate information to consumers, introducing more
flexibility to adapt the legislation to technological changes, and simplifying
the regulatory framework. Moving from three Directives to one Regulation has
led to less red tape and more certainty for businesses and consumers. Practical
and compliance-related issues which still raise questions among practitioners can
be clarified in various ways, in particular by issuing technical guidance. The new
provisions may have led to increased costs for businesses, but it could be considered
that these have been offset by better information to consumers.  
Therefore, despite the practical challenges
involved in applying certain provisions in the current regulatory framework, no
major gaps, inconsistencies or administrative burden have been detected that
would require amendment of the Regulation.  
In view of the above and in order to
improve the existing regulatory framework, the Commission concludes that the
following could be envisaged:  
-     issuing
a guidance document, based on the current FAQs, to clarify various aspects of the
Textile Regulation;
-     examining
practical possibilities for improving the process for dealing with applications
for new fibre names; and   
-     considering
a request for standardisation work from the relevant European standardisation organisations,
notably CEN.
In
addition, the Commission will carry out further and ongoing monitoring of the
Regulation with the assistance of Member States and relevant stakeholders.
Furthermore, Member States will be encouraged to consider additional checking
and controlling of textile products under their market surveillance national
programmes.
[1]     Regulation
(EU) No 1007/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 September
2011 on textile fibre names and related labelling and marking of the fibre composition
of textile products (OJ L 272, 18.10.2011, p.1).
[2]     More information
on TEG meetings is available at:               http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/textiles/documents/index_en.htm.
[3]     ‘Textile product’ is defined in Article 3(1)(a) of the
Regulation as ‘any raw, semi-worked, worked, semi‑manufactured,
manufactured, semi-made-up or made-up product which is exclusively composed of
textile fibres, regardless of the mixing or assembly process employed’.
[4]     Textiles incorporated in other products and forming an
integral part thereof, where their composition is specified, are also to be
treated as textile products (Article 2(2)(d)).
[5]     Report
from the Commission to the European Parliament and the Council regarding
possible new labelling requirements of textile products and on a study on
allergenic substances in textile products, COM(2013)
656 final, 25.9.2013.
[6]     The questionnaires
were agreed between the Member State experts and the Commission.
[7]     A summary of the
responses to the questionnaires is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/DocsRoom/documents/5710
and http://ec.europa.eu/DocsRoom/documents/5711.
[8]     The Netherlands did not send a contribution.
[9]     A number of the
enquiries concerned matters outside the scope of the Regulation, e.g. size
or care labelling.
[10]    The RAPEX system
was set up on the basis of General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) for consumer
harmonised and non-harmonised products and extended to all harmonised products
under Regulation (EU) No 765/2008. All RAPEX notifications are published weekly
on the internet by the Commission services at: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/safety/rapex/index_en.htm.
[11]    Seven Member States (Bulgaria, France, Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Portugal and Romania) and Norway.
[12]    e.g. Germany’s Wettbewerbszentrale, an independent and non-commercial observatory body.
[13]    In one Member State, about 35 % of tested products had incorrect fibre content and around 33 %
of tested products had incorrect labelling.
[14]    More information at: www.prosafe.org.
[15]    Communication from
the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council and the European
Economic and Social Committee A vision for the internal market for
industrial products (COM(2014) 25 final, 22 January 2014).
[16]    http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/textiles/files/regulation-1007-2011-faq_en.pdf.
[17]    The
new fibre names were added through a comitology procedure under the previous
system.
[18]    Following the first
delegated act under the Regulation.
[19]    The minimum
requirements regarding the technical file to be included in the application are
indicated in Annex II to the Regulation.
[20]    Commission
Delegated Regulation (EU) No 286/2012 of 27 January 2012 amending, in order to
include a new textile fibre name, Annex I and, for the purposes of their
adaptation to technical progress, Annexes VIII and IX to Regulation (EU) No
1007/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council on textile fibre names
and related labelling and marking of the fibre composition of textile products
(OJ L 95, 31.3.2012, p. 1).
[21]
   The study is available at:            
https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/sites/default/files/ptt_final_report_revision_1_v_14_03_05.pdf.