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Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
As EU's green trade rules kick in, India works policy shifts
New Delhi: While India and the European Union (EU) are ready to close a key trade pact, various Indian ministries are working on several rulebook shifts to align with a slew of new, stricter 'green' regulations by the EU that will come into effect within a year and are bound to impact Indian trade across sectors from coffee export to import of scrap. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change is at the forefront of the exercise, readying rulebook shifts and mechanisms to align with the incoming 'green' regime at the EU. Packaging for EU - no antibiotics to boot The latest niggle is the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation 2025/40 (PPWR) that will regulate the types of packaging acceptable across the EU markets from August 2026 onwards. Bound to have a huge impact for all Indian exports to the EU, the regulations have triggered deliberations across industry as well as several stakeholder ministries to prepare for a comprehensive overhaul of packaging systems. Reason: the new rules call for several restrictions on the manufacturing, composition, and reusable nature of packaging. These range from barring use of single-use plastics for pre-packed fruit and vegetables to packaging of condiments, sauces, and sugar. They also go into aspects like weight and volume of packaging to minimise unnecessary packaging. Deadlines of 2030 and 2040 have been set to ensure a minimum percentage of recycled content in packaging, all of which will require major shifts for Indian industry. The next one, under advanced discussion in the Indian government, is regarding EU's 2018-19 ban on 'non-therapeutic antibiotic use in livestock' and animal products. ET gathered that the EU earlier this year warned India that unless it completely bans nearly 30 such antibiotics for animal use, several animal products from India would not be permitted into the EU from a specific date later this year. An older India advisory has been found inadequate. ET has learnt that the ministries of health, agriculture and commerce are finally close to issuing a full-fledged notification on the issue to align with the EU rulebook requirement. 'Deforestation free' products A third regulation of concern is the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which will come into full effect between December 2025 to June 2026 with significant implications for export of coffee, palm oil, rubber, wood, soy and cattle and related products from leather to furniture. The EUDR requires exporters to assure and certify that their products are 'deforestation free' - not sourced/produced from deforested or degraded land. Companies will need to trace products back to their 'origin,' with geolocation and 'due diligence' procedures to ward off a stiff penalty. The Indian environment ministry is currently working on state-level mechanisms to bring in the 'due diligence' certification regime to prove 'origin of wood' involved, ET has geo-tagging of plots is being worked upon for coffee plantations to vineyards to secure compliance to export to the EU. The Wasteland The EU Waste Shipment Regulation (EU WSR) comes next and will take effect from May 2026. It demands that all waste exported out of the EU must be processed in an environmentally responsible manner - through a verifiable, third party audit based mechanism. With India importing over 3.5 million tonnes of waste from the EU - iron scrap to tyre waste and paper- the WSR will require a significant shift of mechanisms at India's growing waste processing industry. Citing the new WSR rulebook, the EU earlier this year asked India to share a list of waste products it would like to import. India is learnt to have indicated over 26 categories of waste it is keen to import. ET gathers that hectic work is on to strengthen standards and quality control measures ahead of the 2026 deadline. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Task force on textiles exports sets collaborative roadmap to boost India's global market share
The Ministry of Commerce & Industry held the inaugural meeting of the Task Force on Textiles Exports under the chairmanship of Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal at Vanijya Bhawan on June 10. The high-level meeting marked a significant step toward building a collaborative framework aimed at enhancing India's share in global textile exports, the ministry said in an official release. The newly formed Task Force is envisioned as a unified platform to address critical challenges in the textile sector, foster stakeholder engagement, and develop actionable strategies to boost exports across the textile value chain. The discussions at the meeting were comprehensive, covering a wide range of policy and operational issues. Key focus areas included: Upgrading ESG infrastructure in garment units Promoting renewable energy use Addressing EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) compliance Expanding e-commerce channels for textile exports Simplifying regulatory frameworks, improving labour productivity, and enhancing cost competitiveness Focused support for MSME exporters, including export credit, certification, and testing support Scheme-related suggestions on RoDTEP, RoSCTL, and Duty Drawback Promotion of PM MITRA Parks, jute diversified products, separate HS codes for GI products, and natural fibre productivity The meeting was attended by senior officials including Special Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, Special Secretary L Satya Srinivas, FA Arti Bhatnagar, DGFT Ajay Bhadoo, and Additional Secretary (Textiles) Rohit Kansal, along with representatives from related departments, Export Promotion Councils (EPCs), industry associations, and leading exporters. Exporters and council members shared critical insights and provided recommendations for sectoral improvement. Based on these deliberations, the Chair directed that sub-task forces be formed on key thematic areas. Each sub-task force will be led by the concerned ministry and will include members from EPCs and industry stakeholders. Their mandate will be to deliver practical, time-bound recommendations to the main Task Force. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing India's textile export goals in alignment with the Viksit Bharat Vision 2047 , reinforcing the government's resolve to position India as a global textile powerhouse.
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Centre sets up a new task force to boost country's textile exports
In a bid to enhance India's textile exports at a time when the country is signing trade deals with developed nations, the government has set up a new task force that will look into sector-specific bottlenecks such as regulatory hurdles, cost competitiveness and lack of enough export credit. Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal has been appointed as the chair of the task force with representation from officials of Department of Commerce, Ministry of Textiles, Directorate General of Foreign Trade, along with representatives from export promotion councils, industry associations and exporters. In its first meeting, the task force decided to set up several issue-specific sub-groups, which will be led by relevant ministries in coordination with export promotion councils and industry representatives. These sub-groups will provide actionable recommendations to the task force, the commerce and industry ministry said. The discussion touched upon a wide range of issues affecting the textile value chain. These included upgradation of Environmental, Social and Governance infrastructure in garment manufacturing, use of renewable energy in manufacturing, European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), strengthening e-commerce for export growth, labour issues, cost competitiveness for productivity enhancement, skilling, and branding. Participants also raised issues with export-related incentives such as RoDTEP (Remission of Duties and Taxes on Exported Products) and RoSCTL (Rebate of State and Central Taxes and Levies). They also sought collateral support for export credit for MSMEs. Stakeholders also discussed PM MITRA textile parks, development of new Jute Diversified Products (JDPs), separate harmonised system (HS) codes for Geographical Indication products, productivity enhancement for natural fibres such as jute and matters about the Export Promotion Mission.
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Business Standard
7 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Task Force on textile exports to tackle sectoral issues: Commerce Ministry
A task force on textile exports will create a unified platform to address critical issues concerning the sector to boost outbound shipments, the Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday. The country aims to increase textile exports to $100 billion by 2030-31. The first meeting of the task force was held on June 10 under the chairpersonship of Commerce Secretary Sunil Barthwal to discuss issues and strategies for enhancing textiles exports from India, besides increasing share in global markets. Barthwal said the primary objective of the task force is to create a unified platform for addressing critical issues concerning the textile sector by involving all relevant stakeholders. Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal said there is a need to focus on innovations keeping in view the latest trends to garner a higher share of the export market. Textiles is one of the key focused sectors identified by the Department of Commerce for promoting exports. While the government is continuously working on trade agreements with various countries to remove tariff disadvantages, the industry should work on formulating plans to utilise them more effectively. The discussions during the meeting covered matters and issues pertaining to the entire textiles value chain, the ministry said. This included skilling, labour, cost competitiveness, use of renewable energy, current schemes for supporting the textile sector, quality control orders, logistics, and productivity enhancement of natural fibres, such as jute. Representatives of the various textile export promotion councils and industry associations shared their views and suggestions on these matters. "It was further decided that sub-task forces will be set up for these led by the concerned Ministry along with participants from export promotion councils and the industry to work on and provide suitable recommendations to the Task Force," it added. In the meeting, other issues included the upgradation of ESG infrastructure in garment manufacturing units, use of renewable energy, European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), strengthening of e-commerce for export growth and simplifying regulatory framework, it said. Besides, labour, cost competitiveness for productivity enhancement, skilling, and branding were also discussed. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU's plan to tackle global deforestation meets resistance at home
The world's forests are under threat: hundreds of millions of hectares of forest have been cleared in recent decades. The European Union wants to slow this trend – but calls to delay new rules are growing louder. Every minute of every hour of every day, the equivalent of eighteen football pitches of tropical rainforest was destroyed last year, according to data from the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute (WRI). Tally it all up and the world lost 67,000 square kilometres of precious primary tropical forest in one year alone, an area twice the size of Belgium or Taiwan. Tropical forests, which harbour the highest concentrations of biodiversity, are the most threatened of any forest biomes on the planet. They are also sponges for CO2, helping to prevent global temperatures from rising even faster than they have. To minimize its contribution to world-wide deforestation and promote more sustainable practices among companies operating in the bloc, the EU has put forward the Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). However, as part of a wider push against the EU's Green Deal – a cornerstone climate strategy to make Europe climate-neutral by 2050 – member states are calling for further delays in putting the law into force. What does the EUDR aim to do? The EUDR's goal is to stop products from entering or leaving the European market if they are made by cutting down trees. Under this law, seven raw materials - cattle, cocoa, coffee, palm oil, rubber, soya and wood - may only be sold in the EU if no forests have been cleared for them after 2020. Firms importing the merchandise in question to the 27-nation bloc will be responsible for tracking their supply chains to prove goods did not originate from deforested zones, relying on geolocation and satellite data. Anyone who fails to comply with the regulations faces heavy fines of at least 4% of annual turnover in the EU. Satellite and DNA analysis will be used to verify the origin of the products and whether the requirements are being met. In the EU, Spain for example has a 'special responsibility' to reduce deforestation as it is the largest European importer of soybeans, according to a warning issued last year by the NGO Alianza Cero Deforestación. Companies are however far from meeting this tracking requirement. In Germany, for example, Environmental Action Germany (DUH) found that out of 32 surveyed companies across the meat, poultry, dairy, and feed industries in the catering, wholesale, and retail sectors, only four could trace their soy, and just three their palm oil, back to the original cultivation area. Taking into account the production and use of the seven listed raw materials, the European Commission last month unveiled its first benchmark that classifies countries based on deforestation risks. Russia, Belarus, North Korea and Myanmar are the only four countries considered to be at high risk of deforestation, while Brazil and Indonesia – in the past often criticized for their extensive deforestation of rainforests – are currently placed in the medium risk category. The list raised eyebrows among EU member states and environmental groups. Austria's minister of agriculture and forestry, Norbert Totschnig, claimed countries with high deforestation risks were now classified as medium risk countries, adding that this undermined the efforts of 'countries like Austria, which have very strict laws and operate sustainably." According to data from the WRI published on Statista in October, Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Bolivia and Indonesia were among the countries with the highest primary tropical forest losses in 2023, together accounting for a loss of 2.45 million hectares that year. Land&Forst Betriebe Österreich, an association of land managers, said: 'The current classification is incomprehensible and contradicts the clear wording of the regulation. Instead of a well-founded, data-driven assessment, political considerations seem to have played a decisive role.' Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said 'no one denies that Belarus and Russia should be sanctioned' but called it absurd to group countries like Italy – along with others in Europe – with nations in Africa that, in his view, have significantly lower regulatory standards. Environmental group Global Witness complained that the benchmarking system 'fell short," with 'countries like Brazil and Paraguay not categorized as 'high risk', despite the deforestation crisis consuming climate-critical forests' there. Why are EU member states pushing for further delays? Originally, the regulation was to apply from the end of 2024. The European Parliament however voted in December to postpone the application by one year, setting the entry into force on December 30, 2025 for large companies and June 30, 2026 for small and medium-sized enterprises. A group of 11 EU member states is now pushing to delay the application of the law even further, arguing that 'the requirements imposed on farmers and foresters remain high, if not impossible to implement." They also criticize the amount of bureaucracy required of farmers. In the document drafted by Luxembourg and Austria and signed by nine other countries – Bulgaria, Croatia, Finland, Italy, Latvia, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Czech Republic - the signatories said the requirements 'are disproportionate to the objective of the regulation, which is to prevent deforestation where it actually occurs.' 'We do not want to flood those affected in Europe with bureaucracy; we want to prevent illegal deforestation,' Totschnig said ahead of a meeting of EU agriculture ministers in Brussels last week. His German counterpart Alois Rainer said 'the EU's initiative to curb global deforestation is a good proposal, but the bureaucratic impact on many countries in Europe goes too far." The countries are calling for the creation of a category of countries with zero risk of deforestation, which could be exempted from obligations and controls. Slovenia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food responded to questions from the Slovenian press agency STA saying that the country supported the initiative to further delay the law due to the excessive administrative burden for farmers, small forest owners, entrepreneurs and national authorities. It has issued a call for further simplification of the regulation, especially for the low-risk countries. In Romania, the Alliance for Agriculture and Cooperation (AAC), made up of four major agricultural organizations, said the law does not introduce real improvements for farmers and forest owners in the European Union. COP30 on the horizon Forest protection is high on the agenda of the COP30 United Nations climate conference that Brazil will host in November in the tropical city of Belem. The Forest Declaration Assessment, a broad coalition of forest-based activist and research groups, has said leaders must show progress on reversing the deforestation trend before convening in the Amazonian city. The EU takes part in negotiations at COP30 and is expected to push for stronger global action on deforestation and climate finance. But its credibility may be tested, as internal divisions grow and some member states are pushing back against parts of the EU's own Green Deal policies. The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, Agerpres, ANSA, APA, CTK, dpa, EFE and STA as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project.
