Newsletter Buying & Production nr 3, 22

Ukraine 

• Ukraine update

Trade policy / Brexit

• Brexit Adjustment Regeling (BAR)

Sourcing

• Crisis in the chain: the supply chain is under heavy pressure after two years of corona. What next?
• Building Resilience and Value in Fashion’s Supply Chain

Safety & compliance

• By 2025 all PFAS applications banned
• New UK plastic packaging law as of 1rst of April 2022
• South Korea: Special Safety of Children’s Products, Act No. 12733, 2014 – Amendment – (on cancellation of declaration of safety confirmation for children’s products, etc) Act No. 18819, 2022
• Portugal enacted the decree on the use of ‘leather’ and related terminologies
• UK Fur legislation not proceeding

CR

• Proposal for European due diligence law published: These are the key points 
• SER webinar 'What does the EU due diligence legislation mean for the Netherlands?'
• Practical manual prepares companies for CSR legislation
• Zeeman: collection of second-hand clothing in all stores

Overig

• Sluit je aan bij culture.fashion?

Oekraïne 
Ukraine update
The Russian-Ukrainian war has major consequences, also for Dutch entrepreneurs. Many entrepreneurs have questions about the consequences for their employees in Ukraine and the surrounding area. There are also questions about the precise effect of the sanctions on their imports and exports from and to Russia and Belarus. There are also questions about the availability of energy, raw materials and about cybersecurity. There are also a number of companies that have reported to MODINT because they have goods in Ukraine that cannot leave the country. MODINT is in contact with the Ukrainian Embassy in the Netherlands to see if this can be changed. Please click here to read the letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. MODINT likes to get in touch with companies that are affected by this war and associated sanctions and restrictions. For more information: Antonio Barberi Ettaro.

Rail transport
There are many questions about rail transport through Russia, for example to and from China. A combination of Dutch and Chinese companies is working on an alternative rail route from China via Turkey to Duisburg. The route goes through Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea by ship to Azerbaijan and then via Georgia to Italy (Trieste) and finally by sea to Duisburg. (source: Railfreight.com)

RVO has opened business counter sanctions
You will find the Ondernemersloket Sanctions Russia and Belarus on the website of the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. The counter can be reached by telephone and via chat on working days from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 088 042 42 42 (choose option 0 and then 3). The counter is available 24/7 by e-mail. Answer within three working days.

Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian support from the Netherlands is more than welcome. There is an especially urgent need for relief supplies, food and fuel. The Ukrainian embassy itself also coordinates assistance; they draw attention to their communication channels (which are only possible via social media because the government server is not operational):

• https://www.facebook.com/UkraineEmbNL/
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/embassy-of-ukraine-in-the-kingdom-of-the-netherlands/mycompany/?viewAsMember=true

 
Daarnaast staat ook Giro555 open met het initiatief: ‘Samen in actie voor Oekraïne'. De daarbij aangesloten organisaties zijn:
 
•    Nederlandse Rode Kruis, 
•    CARE Nederland, 
•    UNICEF Nederland, 
•    World Vision,
•    Stichting Vluchteling, 
•    Save the Children, 
•    Cordaid, 
•    Kerk in Actie, 
•    Plan International Nederland, 
•    Terre des Hommes en
•    Oxfam Novib
 
De Oekraïense ambassade vraagt zelf aandacht voor de volgende initiatieven:
 
📍Oekraïners in Nederland ua.in.nl@gmail.com
Kleinemeersterstraat 109, 9611 JC Sappemeer
Doorpstraat 7, 2935 AA Ouderkerk
 
📍Stichting Spoetnik
voorzitter@spoetnik.nl, beja@spoetnik.nl
Landstraat 116, 3131 CE Vlaardingen
 
📍Stichting Holland Oekraine
hdb@quicknet.nl
+31622820261 Olga Dekker
Rijnlanderweg 1587, 2153 KH Nieuwe Vennep
 
📍Stichting “De Oekraïnse gemeenschap in Nederland”
info@oekraine-diaspora.nl
+31(645)24 14 75 Angelina Kucheruk
Zwitsalterrein ingang Noord/ Vlijtseweg 132 
Apeldoorn
Waalhaven Noordzijde 33, 3087 BH Rotterdam 
Julianastraat 94, Moerkapelle

Trade policy / Brexit
Brexit Adjustment Regeling (BAR)
On 11 March, the government took a decision on the implementation of the EU Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR). From this, € 500 million is available for Dutch entrepreneurs to compensate for the negative consequences of Brexit. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) will distribute these funds through various schemes, which are currently being worked out. The scheme is expected to open in May. The current set-up is still being tested against European rules. Businesses are already being asked to develop ideas and concepts. Textiles (including Carpet), Garments and Leather are classified as a secondary sector, which means that requests from our sector may have an advantage.

For companies that have had to adapt to other laws and regulations to continue doing business with the United Kingdom, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is developing subsidy schemes to meet Brexit-related costs. This concerns costs for, for example, information campaigns, customs-related training, ICT and consultancy costs and temporary hiring of extra transport equipment. This concerns an arrangement for costs already incurred and an arrangement for costs still to be incurred. € 268 million has been reserved for the two subsidy schemes. In addition, the RVO supports entrepreneurs who wish to discover new markets through the so-called internationalization program. This support can take place on an individual basis and at sector level. € 32 million has been reserved for this. In the current set-up, the new markets only concern other EU countries. More information available from Antonio Barberi Ettaro.

Sourcing
Crisis in the chain: the supply chain is under heavy pressure after two years of corona. What next?
Corona has not only turned fashion retail upside down, but also the supply chain. Suppliers were and still are confronted with factory closures, material shortages and container prices that are through the roof. Problems that eventually end up with the retailer. How do you deal with this constructively as a sector? Textilia wonders. Read more (you may need a login to read the entire article). Please note that the original article is in Dutch.

Building Resilience and Value in Fashion’s Supply Chain
The Covid-19 pandemic precipitated an enormous human and economic catastrophe, ushering in a period of disruption and volatility that shows no signs of abating. In just the last week, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine stunned and outraged the world. The pandemic and the recent conflict in Europe are the latest indications that an era of relative stability in the world order — and supply chains — is coming to an end, writes Business of Fashion. Read more>>

Safety & Compliance
By 2025 all PFAS applications banned
Earlier this month, Modint participated in the PFAS consultation with the Ministry of I&W. Previously there have also been specific sessions for the textile industry (all segments). Some of the companies affiliated with Modint are familiar with the use and application of the chemical PFAS, but a larger number are not. Read more (please note that the original article is in Dutch).

New UK plastic packaging law as of 1rst of April 2022
From April 1st 2022, the UK is implementing a new plastic packaging Tax. It will apply to plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, if it does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic. Plastic packaging is packaging that is predominantly plastic by weight. It will not apply to any plastic packaging which contains at least 30% recycled plastic, or any packagingwhich is not predominantly plastic by weight (paper, card etc).

South Korea: Special Safety of Children’s Products, Act No. 12733, 2014 – Amendment – (on cancellation of declaration of safety confirmation for children’s products, etc) Act No. 18819, 2022
On 3 February 2022, the South Korean National Assembly issued an amendment to the Special Act on Safety of Children’s Products.
The amendment was issued to add new provisions for the revocation of the declaration of safety confirmation for children’s products. Specifically, if manufacturers or importers of children’s products subject to safety confirmation fall under the newly stipulated conditions, they may be subject to a disposition of ineffectiveness of the safety confirmation report or an order to prohibit the use of the safety confirmation mark or to improve it. The new conditions are as follows:

• in case the safety confirmation report is made by false or other illegal means;
• if the product does not meet the safety standards;
• in case the safety conformity mark is not indicated or is falsely indicated.

This act enters into force on 4 August 2022.

Portugal enacted the decree on the use of ‘leather’ and related terminologies
February 2022 - softlines
On 4 January 2022, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of Portugal approved the Decree Law No. 3/20221, on the definition and use of various terminologies related to leather materials. According to this Decree Law, for the purpose of sale and advertising of products, the terms ‘couro’ (leather), ‘pele’ (skin), ‘pele curtida’ (tanned skin)’, ‘couro revestido (coated leather)’, among others, their derivatives or synonyms shall not be used for the materials that do not meet the defined characteristics. The Decree Law also prohibits use of such terminologies (in any languages) even as prefixes or suffixes with other words to identify materials that do not meet the defined criteria. 
Terminology    Definition
Leather and tanned skins (‘Couro e peles curtidas (curtidos))  

• A product obtained from animal skin which retains its original fibrous structure more or less intact, 
• Tanned to prevent rotting,
• Hair or wool may or may not have been removed, 
• May have been splitted into layers or segmented either before or after tanning, 
• Coating, if applied, must not be thicker than 0.15 mm.

NOTE: If the tanned hide has lost its natural structure, as it has been mechanically or chemically disintegrated into fibrous particles, small particles or powder, and then reconstituted, after combining or not with a binding agent, in sheets or other forms, it cannot be considered leather or tanned skin.

• Full grain leather (‘Couro de flor integral’) - Leather that retain its original grain surface as exposed by removal of the epidermis and with none of the surface removed by buffing, snuffing or splitting.
• Coated Leather (‘Couro revestido) - Leather with surface coating that does not exceed one third of the total thickness but more than 0.15 mm.
• Crust leather (‘Croute de couro’) - Leather with complete removal of the grain layer.

Verification of conformity of the products needs to be done in accordance with the latest version of the standards EN/ISO 17131 and EN 15987. 
The Decree law became effective from 1 January 2022, however, the materials and products placed on the market before entry into force of this Decree Law, can be sold till 31 December 2022.
[1]  Decree Law No. 3/2022

UK Fur legislation not proceeding
The UK government did take a first step towards banning sales of real animal fur in the UK, which activists say would save millions of animals every year from agony. The Ministers have launched a call for evidence on the implications of a block on importing and selling real fur, inviting businesses and the public to submit views. In the end The UK government did hold a consultation on banning fur however it was announced a few weeks ago that they would not be proceeding.

CR
Proposal for European due diligence law published: These are the key points
Last year, the European Commission voted in favor of a European due diligence law. This law obliges companies to investigate their production chain and to correct abuses. It took a while for the detailed proposal of the law, but the proposal was published today. FashionUnited highlights the most important points. Please note that the original article is in Dutch. Read more>>

SER webinar 'What does the EU due diligence legislation mean for the Netherlands?'
On February 23, the EU presented the long-awaited proposal on Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence legislation. Important for everyone involved in this at companies, NGOs, trade unions and governments. On Thursday 17 March, the SER is organizing a webinar with experts about the consequences for the Netherlands, with MEP Lara Wolters, initiator of the bill, as a special guest. Please note that the original article is in Dutch. Read more>>

Practical manual prepares companies for CSR legislation
The Covenant on Sustainable Garments and Textile has drawn up an extensive document that helps companies in the sector step by step to engage in international corporate social responsibility (CSR). The document also contains links to resources, company examples and explanations of terms. This makes it very useful for companies from other sectors that want to get started with international CSR. The document helps companies prepare for upcoming CSR legislation and is available to everyone. Please note that the original article is in Dutch. Read more>>

Zeeman: collection of second-hand clothing in all stores
Second-hand clothing can now be returned in all 460 Zeeman stores in the Netherlands. A trial in fifty stores is a success, the discounter reports. Please note that the original article is in Dutch. Read more>>

Overig
Sluit je aan bij culture.fashion? 
Graag wijzen wij jullie op www.culture.fashion, een site waar een netwerk wordt gevormd van verantwoorde, innovatieve fashion designers, makers en onderzoekers. Het initiatief loopt nu enige tijd en wordt gedragen door State of Fashion in Arnhem en WAAG in Amsterdam, plus een aantal partners/initiatiefnemers zoals brancheorganisatie Modint. Financiering komt van het Ministerie van OC&W binnen het idee “Fashion” een goede plek in de maatschappij te laten behouden.