Latest news with #ecotax
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
French Senate backs law to regulate ultra fast fashion giants Shein and Temu
The French Senate overwhelmingly backed a new bill designed to regulate low-cost clothing giants on Tuesday, mainly targeting Chinese e-commerce platforms Shein and Temu. The text aims to tackle the environmental and economic consequences of fast fashion, a model that thrives on mass production and low prices. The legislation introduces an eco-score system that will evaluate the environmental impact of products sold by fast fashion companies, including emissions, resource use, and recyclability. Brands with the lowest scores could be taxed up to €5 per item starting in 2025, increasing to €10 by 2030. However, the tax cannot exceed 50% of the item's retail price. It also includes a ban on advertising for ultra-fast fashion brands and sanctions for influencers who promote them online. While the bill takes aim at ultra-fast fashion platforms like Shein and Temu, it notably spares major European players such as Zara, H&M, and Kiabi from the harshest penalties. Environmental groups have criticised the revised bill for what they see as a weakened ambition. 'It's a missed opportunity,' said Pierre Condamine, campaign manager at Friends of the Earth France. 'We've got a text that's going to target two brands and therefore leave out what represents at least 90% of production and clothing sold in France. So it's a missed opportunity. We could have a real environmental ambition. We are very disappointed because, in the end, we can see that it's economic protection that has become the major driving force behind this bill. In contrast, at its beginning, there was an ambition to move the sector towards more sustainable practices," he told Euronews. But some French lawmakers argue the bill needs to protect European industries first. 'Unfortunately, we have no choice,' said conservative Senator Sylvie Valente Le Hir. 'Today, we still have to defend what's left of our European industries. We have to make a distinction between the production that's done in China by these giants. We're talking about scales that are 100 times larger than us. So we're preserving European and French industries for the time being, because if we don't, there will be nothing left," she told Euronews. Shein spokesperson Quentin Ruffat responded to the bill earlier this week, warning that the text could "impact the purchasing power" of French consumers. Between 2010 and 2023, the value of advertised fast fashion products in France rose from €2.3 billion to €3.2 billion. In France, 35 clothing items are discarded every second, according to the country's environment agency Ademe. The Senate passed the bill with 337 votes in favour and only one against. The text will now move to a joint committee of senators and deputies in September. The European Commission will also need to be notified to ensure the bill complies with EU regulations. If passed, it would mark one of the most aggressive legislative efforts in Europe to address the toll of fast fashion, though its ultimate impact remains to be seen.
The Sun
18-05-2025
- The Sun
Enough is enough!' chant raging anti-tourist protesters as thousands flood the streets in Canary Islands
Eliana Nunes Rita Sobot Published: Invalid Date, THOUSANDS have flooded the streets of the popular Canary Islands in Spain's third wave of protests against overtourism this year. Locals across the Canaries say their home has been turned into a playground for tourists - as holidaymakers awkwardly watch from the sidelines. 9 9 9 9 Demos have taken place today across the Spanish archipelago's islands, including Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura. In Santa Cruz alone, Tenerife's capital, around 7,000 people are estimated to be on the streets by Spanish security forces. In Gran Canaria, around 3,000 people are estimated to be present. The organisers, a group named "The Canary Islands have a limit", say the turnout has been "very high". While no incidents have been reported since the marches began at 11am, police remain on the scene. Campaigners claim that despite previous protests, no changes have been made by the government. The slogan of the march has been: "The Canary Islands are not for sale, they are loved and defended." Similar marches have also taken place today in other Spanish cities and in Berlin. Locals are calling for three key measures: Tourist moratorium: A freeze on new hotel and holiday rental licences, especially in overcrowded areas, to ease pressure on resources and protect rural and coastal land. Ecotax: A tourist tax to fund public services and offset the environmental impact of mass tourism. Holiday rental regulation: Stricter controls on platforms like Airbnb and real estate speculation to keep housing affordable for residents. It comes as Spain's first mass anti-tourist protests of the year kicked off in April after thousands of people across 40 cities took to the streets. According to the Canarian Trade Union Federation, the wealth generated by tourism should be distributed more fairly to improve the labour and wage rights of more than 170,000 tourism workers in the Canaries. They also demand fairer distribution of tourism revenue to improve life for Canarians - boosting public services like healthcare, affordable housing and transport to fix the current road collapses. 9 9 9 "The Canary Islands have a limit" movement argues the Canaries' current economic model is "based on touristification, speculation, inequality and infinite growth in a very limited land". The campaigners said that despite the "massive demonstrations", authorities have ignored their demands with "regressive" regulations, only "deepening the social, economic and environmental crisis". The movement has issued ten key demands, including halting destructive developments, imposing a tourist tax, enforcing a moratorium on new tourist projects, protecting natural areas and stopping sea pollution, among others. The campaigners they will continue protests throughout the summer and are planning boycotts and sit-ins. 9 9 What is overtourism? Overtourism refers to the phenomenon where a destination experiences a volume of tourists that exceeds its manageable capacity The term is often used to describe the negative consequences of mass tourism, which includes overcrowding and environmental issues As a result, popular destinations have become less enjoyable for both visitors and locals Local communities, in particular, bear the brunt, facing rising costs and a depletion of resources In response, national and local governments have started to implement measures to reduce overtourism Some solutions include:
