Simplifying French Regulations: Master AGEC & the Climate Resilience Law
Our recent webinar hosted by retraced with sustainable and circular fashion consultancy COSE361 brought together industry experts Stéphane Popescu and Roman Houlbreque to discuss all the latest updates in French supply chain regulations. With a focus on the AGEC law (2020) and the Climate and Resilience Law (2021), the discussion highlighted key topics such as stock destruction bans, traceability, recycled content, microplastics, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), eco-modulation, SVHCs, and recyclability.
AGEC and Climate Resilience Law: Encouraging Sustainability and Transparency
The AGEC law aims to promote circular economy practices, reduce disposable plastics, and enhance consumer information. Building on the AGEC law, the Climate and Resilience Law emphasizes environmental labeling in the textile and food industries while combating greenwashing.
Significant regulations and updates include the ban on stock destruction (effective since January 2022), mandatory sorting information (Triman), and a prohibition on misleading claims. The webinar also discussed mandatory information related to fashion products, such as the percentage of recycled content, microplastic release during washing, and the presence of SVHCs.
French EPR System: Incentives and Penalties for Eco-contributions
The French EPR system was examined during the webinar, which includes a system of premiums and penalties for eco-contributions. Durability specifications, environmental labels, and recycled content considerations were highlighted as key topics in this area.
Challenges and Solutions: Ensuring Compliance in the French Market
The webinar addressed the challenges companies face in the French market, the importance of verifying compliance, potential penalties for non-compliance, and the need for digital product sheets for garments. Controls are expected to be educational this year and punitive next year, with non-compliance penalties reaching up to 15,000 Euros per case for a legal person.
Roman demonstrated how the retraced platform tackles the challenges of data collection and compliance in the French market. The platform enables companies to trace purchase orders, collect information on the bill of materials, and identify parties involved in the supply chain. This helps gather environmental data and calculate the product's environmental footprint, ensuring proper claims and compliance with French regulations.
Q&A Session: Addressing Concerns on French Regulations and Compliance
During the Q&A session, Stéphane responded to questions related to French regulations, certifications, and proof of compliance. He emphasized the importance of relying on good sense and working with digital traceability solutions like retraced. Roman and Stéphane also stressed the responsibility of brands to inform and manage information related to SVHCs and the significance of having a holistic view of a product and understanding the entire supply chain.
Staying Informed: Preparing for Future Changes in the Fashion Industry
The webinar offered valuable insights into the latest French regulations and their impact on the fashion industry. As the regulatory landscape continues to evolve, staying informed and prepared for future changes in the industry is crucial for companies operating in the French market.
To learn more, you can watch the webinar recording here. Passcode: YQPF@=1y
