Italy cracks down on fashion sector
Cashmere company Loro Piana, controlled by French luxury group LVMH, was put under judicial administration last week after prosecutors uncovered evidence of worker abuses in its supply chain.
The label was the fifth high-end brand to undergo such court monitoring in Italy since early 2024.
"We cannot allow the illicit behaviour of a few to compromise the reputation of the entire sector, penalising many virtuous companies and, consequently, our Made in Italy brand, which is a symbol of excellence and quality," minister Adolfo Urso told fashion trade bodies during a meeting, according to a source.
The ministry is working on a measure to certify the sustainability and legality of companies in the supply chain in advance, he added, so that brands do not have to answer for the conduct of their suppliers or subcontractors.
Units of fashion brands Valentino, Dior, Armani and Italian handbag company Alviero Martini were previously placed under administration in Italy for similar alleged worker exploitation.
In the case of Loro Piana, the Court of Milan found it "culpably failed" to adequately oversee its suppliers in order to pursue higher profits, according to the ruling.
Prosecutors in that case said the violation of rules among fashion companies in Italy was "a generalised and consolidated manufacturing method".
Italy is home to thousands of small manufacturers that make up 50 to 55 per cent of global luxury goods production, consultancy Bain has calculated.
Italian legal and political authorities, fashion industry bodies and trade unions signed an action plan in May to fight worker exploitation in the apparel and accessories supply chain, after prosecutors uncovered widespread abuse. Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 days ago
- Business Recorder
Georges Ibrahim released after 40 years in French jail
LANNEMEZAN, (France): One of France's longest-held inmates, the pro-Palestinian Lebanese militant Georges Ibrahim Abdallah, 74, was released from prison and deported on Friday, after more than 40 years behind bars for the killings of two diplomats. At around 3:40 am (01:40 GMT), a convoy of six vehicles left the Lannemezan penitentiary with lights flashing, AFP journalists saw. Hours later, he was placed on a plane bound for Lebanon. As he disembarked in Beirut, he was welcomed by family members at the airport's VIP lounge. Dozens of supporters, some waving Palestinian or Lebanese Communist Party flags gathered near the arrivals hall to give him a hero's reception, an AFP correspondent said. Abdallah's family had said previously they would take him to their hometown of Kobayat, in northern Lebanon, where a reception is planned. Abdallah was detained in 1984 and sentenced to life in prison in 1987 for his involvement in the murders of US military attache Charles Robert Ray and Israeli diplomat Yacov Barsimantov in Paris. 'Past symbol' The Paris Court of Appeal had ordered his release 'effective July 25' on the condition that he leave French territory and never return. While he had been eligible for release since 1999, his previous requests were denied with the United States — a civil party to the case — consistently opposing him leaving prison. Inmates serving life sentences in France are typically freed after fewer than 30 years. Abdallah's lawyer, Jean-Louis Chalanset, visited for a final time on Thursday. 'He seemed very happy about his upcoming release, even though he knows he is returning to the Middle East in an extremely tough context for Lebanese and Palestinian populations,' Chalanset told AFP. AFP visited Abdallah last week after the court's release decision, accompanying a lawmaker to the detention centre. The founder of the Lebanese Revolutionary Armed Factions (FARL) — a long-disbanded Marxist anti-Israel group — said for more than four decades he had continued to be a 'militant with a struggle'. After his arrest in 1984, French police discovered submachine guns and transceiver stations in one of his Paris apartments. The appeals court in February noted that the FARL 'had not committed a violent action since 1984' and that Abdallah 'today represented a past symbol of the Palestinian struggle'. The appeals judges also found the length of his detention 'disproportionate' to the crimes and given his age.
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Govt targets offshore drilling with new partners
Listen to article Pakistan has decided to again try its luck in offshore drilling by forging new partnerships with countries like Turkiye and Russia. Earlier, domestic companies including Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL) and Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) struggled to find hydrocarbon reserves in an offshore zone in Arabian Sea in association with US energy giant ExxonMobil and Italian firm Eni. Pakistan has made 17 attempts to make offshore drilling but they did not yield desired results. They drilled the Kekra-1 offshore well during tenure of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. But those efforts did not bring success. The Kekra-1 offshore well is located approximately 280 kilometres off Karachi coast. Sources told The Express Tribune that the Petroleum Division was seeking bids from interested investors to grant rights for drilling an offshore well and it would open the bids on October 31, 2025. Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik and OGDCL Managing Director Ahmed Hayat Lak are also looking to bring some new partners to Pakistan for offshore drilling. They visited Russia recently and invited its companies to pump investment into Pakistan's offshore drilling sector and participate in the upcoming bidding round. OGDCL has already formed a joint venture with a Turkish firm for submitting an offer for offshore drilling. In this case, bids are scheduled to be opened on October 13. Sources said that Russian firms were also likely to enter into a joint venture with OGDCL through bidding for an offshore block. Earlier, Pakistani firms had a joint venture with Italian and US firms. "This time around, Islamabad is going to try its luck in offshore drilling with new partners," an official remarked. In February 2025, the government announced an offshore block bidding round, offering 40 blocks in Makran and Indus basins for exploration licences. This is a significant opportunity that could attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in the upstream energy sector. Pakistani exploration and production (E&P) companies – Mari Energies, OGDCL and PPL — have signed a joint bidding agreement with Turkish state-owned firm Turkiye Petrolleri Anonim Ortakligi. Under this deal, they will participate in the offshore bidding round. Pakistan believes that this strategic collaboration will bring much-needed FDI and pave the way for deployment of international technologies, expertise and skills to explore the untapped potential of the country's offshore region. Previously, an offshore drilling venture was formed with US energy major ExxonMobil following a nine-year hiatus. However, it turned out to be unsuccessful, with allegations of lack of commitment against ExxonMobil. ExxonMobil was also said to have placed a request for a larger exploration area in Karachi's seawaters, but security concerns prevented the government from accepting the request. Now, the Shehbaz Sharif-led government is striving to accelerate oil and gas exploration activities in the country. Circular debt is a key challenge, with growing calls from E&P firms to resolve this issue. They argue that the circular debt has squeezed their cash flow, restricting them from injecting money into new projects. At present, the gas sector is facing a circular debt of Rs2.8 trillion and the Petroleum Division is making efforts to settle these liabilities. Separately, liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply contracts with Qatar have led to a decrease in indigenous gas supply, compounding financial problems for energy firms. Tax and advisory services provider KPMG, hired by the Petroleum Division, has drawn up proposals to tackle the circular debt problem. It has recommended the government to impose a special levy in the range of Rs3 to Rs10 in line with the power sector model, where debt servicing surcharge has been included in consumer bills. The special levy will help raise funds for debt servicing through bank loans, which will be gradually retired over six to seven years. Additionally, the advisory firm has proposed an increase in gas prices and a gradual end to the cross-subsidy of Rs160 billion by January 2027.
Business Recorder
3 days ago
- Business Recorder
French president Macron sues podcaster over claim France's first lady was born male
French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte filed a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. on Wednesday against right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens, centered on her claim that France's first lady is male. The Macrons said in a complaint filed in Delaware Superior Court that Owens has waged a lie-filled 'campaign of global humiliation' to promote her podcast and expand her 'frenzied' fan base. These lies included that Brigitte Macron, 72, was born under the name Jean-Michel Trogneux, the actual name of her older brother, the Macrons said. 'Owens has dissected their appearance, their marriage, their friends, their family, and their personal history — twisting it all into a grotesque narrative designed to inflame and degrade,' the complaint said. 'The result,' the complaint added, 'is relentless bullying on a worldwide scale.' In her podcast on Wednesday, Owens said, 'This lawsuit is littered with factual inaccuracies,' and part of an 'obvious and desperate public relations strategy' to smear her character. Owens also said she did not know a lawsuit was coming, though lawyers for both sides had been communicating since January. A spokesperson for Owens called the lawsuit itself an effort to bully her, after Brigitte Macron rejected Owens' repeated requests for an interview. 'This is a foreign government attacking the First Amendment rights of an American independent journalist,' the spokesperson said. In a joint statement released by their lawyers, the Macrons said they sued after Owens rejected three demands that she retract defamatory statements. 'Ms. Owens's campaign of defamation was plainly designed to harass and cause pain to us and our families and to garner attention and notoriety,' the Macrons said. 'We gave her every opportunity to back away from these claims, but she refused.' High legal standard Wednesday's lawsuit is a rare case of a world leader suing for defamation. U.S. President Donald Trump has also turned to the courts, including in a $10 billion lawsuit accusing The Wall Street Journal of defaming him by claiming he created a lewd birthday greeting for disgraced late financier Jeffrey Epstein in 2003. The Journal said it would defend against that case and had full confidence in its reporting. Macron to raise French defence targets, citing Russia threat In December, meanwhile, Trump reached a $15 million settlement with Walt Disney-owned ABC over an inaccurate claim that a jury found him liable for rape, rather than sexual assault, in a civil lawsuit. To prevail in U.S. defamation cases, public figures must show defendants engaged in 'actual malice,' a tough legal standard requiring proof the defendants knew what they published was false or had reckless disregard for its truth. Owens has more than 6.9 million followers on X and more than 4.5 million YouTube subscribers. Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan The Macrons' lawsuit focuses on the eight-part podcast 'Becoming Brigitte,' which has more than 2.3 million views on YouTube, and X posts linked to it. According to the Macrons, the series spread 'verifiably false and devastating lies,' including that Brigitte Macron stole another person's identity and transitioned to female, and that the Macrons are blood relatives committing incest. The complaint discusses circumstances under which the Macrons met, when the now 47-year-old president was a high school student and Brigitte was a teacher. It said their relationship 'remained within the bounds of the law.' According to the complaint, baseless speculation about Brigitte Macron's gender began surfacing in 2021, and the topic has been discussed on popular podcasts hosted by Tucker Carlson and Joe Rogan, who have many conservative followers. In September, Brigitte won a lawsuit in a French court against two women, including a self-described medium, who contributed to spreading rumors about her gender. An appeals court overturned that decision this month, and Brigitte Macron has appealed to France's highest court. The case is Macron et al v Owens et al, Delaware Superior Court, No. N25C-07-194.
