France is to impose a tax of around Euro 0.10 per kg on new textile products with effect from January 1 2007. The French parliament took the decision after charity organisations responsible for collecting used textiles and clothing complained that their work was coming under threat from the growth in low-cost imports from China.
Revenue from the new tax will benefit groups involved in the collection, reuse and recycling of textiles. Before the vote, France’s Environment Minister Nelly Olin urged the senate to reject the proposal, arguing it would jeopardise the country’s domestic clothing industry.
