Recital (25)

There are wide disparities as regards the way in which the separate collection of textiles is set up or planned to be set up, whether through extended producer responsibility schemes or other approaches. Where extended producer responsibility schemes are considered, there are also wide disparities, such as with regard to the products falling within their scope, the responsibility of producers, and governance models. The rules on extended producer responsibility laid down in Directive 2008/98/EC should therefore apply to extended producer responsibility schemes for producers of textile, textile-related or footwear products. However, those rules should be complemented by further specific provisions relevant for the textile sector characteristics, in particular, the high share of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) among producers, the role of social economy entities and the importance of re-use in increasing the sustainability of the textile value chain. Those rules should also be more detailed and harmonised to avoid creating a fragmented market that could have a negative impact on the sector, particularly on micro enterprises and SMEs, for the collection or treatment, including recycling, of textiles, as well as to provide clear incentives for sustainable textile product design and policies and facilitate the markets of secondary raw materials. In that context, Member States are encouraged to consider authorising multiple producer responsibility organisations, as competition among such producer responsibility organisations can lead to greater consumer benefits, increase innovation, lower costs, improve separate collection of textiles, and increase choices for producers seeking to contract with such organisations.