Italy advances EPR rules for textiles and footwear sold in its market

Regulation enters its final approval stages

Italy has advanced a regulatory framework that will introduce extended producer responsibility, or EPR, for textile and footwear products. FashionUnited reported that the Unified Conference approved the draft regulation on 23 July. The decree must now undergo review by the Council of State and registration by the Court of Auditors, with final approval expected by the end of 2026.

The regime will make the party that first places a covered product on the Italian market responsible for contributing to its end-of-life management. Environment and Energy Security Minister Gilberto Pichetto said the measure implements a central instrument of Italy's National Strategy for the Circular Economy and is intended to make the supply chain more efficient, transparent and sustainable.

The proposed definition of a producer is broad. It covers manufacturers as well as large distributors that place products on the Italian market for the first time. It also extends to distance selling, including business-to-consumer ecommerce and sales through marketplaces such as Amazon.it, regardless of where the company is established.

Foreign sellers face registration and reporting duties

According to ReDress, a nonprofit textile EPR consortium established in 2024 and promoted by UK multinational Reconomy, obligations will apply as soon as the Italian legislation enters into force. Company size does not provide a general exemption: requirements begin with the first kilogram placed on the market. Microenterprises are the only specified exception, receiving a one-year extension.

Producers will have to join an accredited producer responsibility organisation. Under the draft, foreign brands should determine which entity in their commercial structure is considered the producer, identify products within scope and organise market-placement data by category and weight. They must then choose an individual compliance arrangement or recognised consortium, register with the national register, submit the required declarations and pay an environmental contribution.

Companies selling directly online to Italian consumers without a legal establishment in Italy will have to appoint an authorised representative based in the country. The environmental contribution will be calculated according to the volume of covered goods placed on the Italian market and will finance collection, sorting and recycling operations.

Data preparation becomes a commercial priority

Italy will require declarations in kilograms rather than by individual item or stock-keeping unit, the method used by some other European EPR systems. ReDress experts estimate that adapting internal data architecture typically takes between 12 and 18 months. International brands may therefore need to begin mapping product categories, weights and sales channels before the decree completes its remaining formal stages.

Non-compliance may create commercial as well as administrative risks. FashionUnited reported that customs authorities may block shipments without a valid registration code, while online marketplaces are increasingly suspending or removing listings from sellers unable to demonstrate compliance. Italy is also establishing the Textile Recycling Coordination Centre, known as Corit, drawing on its experience with EPR systems for electrical and electronic equipment and batteries. Corit will coordinate producer consortia, establish common operating standards and manage collection agreements with municipalities through the National Association of Italian Municipalities.

ReDress said Italy is making its national system operational ahead of the 17 June 2027 deadline set by Directive (EU) 2025/1892. For foreign manufacturers, distributors and direct-to-consumer sellers, the practical issue is therefore not only the eventual contribution cost, but also the ability to maintain access to the Italian market once registration and reporting become enforceable.