Recital (37)

In view of the key role of social economy entities in the existing textile collection systems and their potential to create local, sustainable, participatory and inclusive business models and quality jobs in the Union, in line with the objectives of the Commission communication of 9 December 2021 entitled Building an economy that works for people: an action plan for the social economy, the introduction of extended producer responsibility schemes should maintain and support the activities of social economy entities involved in used textiles management. Those entities therefore should be regarded as partners in the separate collection systems supporting the scale-up of re-use and repair and creating quality jobs for all and in particular for vulnerable groups. Sorting requirements should also apply to the used and waste textile, textile-related and footwear products collected by the social economy entities. In that regard, social economy entities should also provide information to the competent authority on their collection of textiles and subsequent management of such collected textiles by way of minimum reporting obligations. Member States should be able to exempt, totally or partially, social economy entities from such reporting obligations where their fulfilment would result in a disproportionate administrative burden on such entities.