ESPR textile delegated act — Specific regulatory instrument (expected 2026-2027)
A sectoral act of ESPR Art. 4 ((EU) 2024/1781) that will set binding ecodesign, information and DPP requirements for textile-apparel. Status anticipated; indicative adoption 2027 per COM(2025) 187.
Context
The ESPR textile delegated act is the specific legal piece that will materialise the obligations of Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 for the textile-apparel sector. As at May 2026 it has not been published. Its anticipated nature: a Commission Delegated Regulation adopted pursuant to ESPR Art. 4, with substantive ecodesign requirements (Art. 6), information requirements (Art. 7) and a Digital Product Passport requirement (Art. 9.1).
Regulatory origin and legal basis
Legal basis: Art. 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 ESPR, which empowers the Commission to adopt sectoral delegated acts giving concrete shape to the general framework's requirements. Programming: §2.2.1 of the ESPR Working Plan 2025-2030 (COM(2025) 187), which places textile-apparel as priority #1 with an indicative adoption timeline of 2027. Technical support: studies JRC 145830 (Joint Research Centre, textile DPP methodology) and EPRS PE 757.808 (European Parliamentary Research Service, impact analysis).
Anticipated perimeter
Apparel and clothing accessories under CN codes 4203, 61, 62, 6504, 6505.
Interior textiles with more than 80 per cent textile fibres (sheets, curtains).
Fibres, yarns, fabrics and intermediate panels intended for final textile use.
FOOTWEAR EXCLUDED from the first textile delegated act: it has a separate sectoral study to be finalised by the end of 2027 (§2.2.3 of the Working Plan).
Expected requirement blocks
Substantive performance requirements: declared durability, recycled content, reparability, restriction of substances of concern, carbon and water footprint.
Information requirements for the consumer and the value chain: detailed composition, care instructions, origin, impact declarations.
Mandatory Digital Product Passport: persistent unique identifier, data carrier (QR / NFC / RFID), machine-readable data based on open standards.
Timeline
ESPR entry into force
Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 in force · enables sectoral delegated acts (Art. 4).
ESPR Working Plan
COM(2025) 187 prioritises textiles as #1 with a 2027 timeline.
Minimum deadline Art. 4.7
Before this date no delegated act could enter into force.
Expected adoption
Indicative window for adopting the textile delegated act.
Substantive application
Estimate: 18 months after entry into force (Art. 4.4).
Footwear study finalised
Parallel sectoral study (§2.2.3 Working Plan).
Applied case
A European textile brand with a clothing line + a footwear line plans the compliance roadmap for the future ESPR textile delegated act.
Clothing: anticipates substantive compliance between 2028 and 2029 (adoption 2027 + 18 months Art. 4.4). It starts an inventory of required data (composition, origin, care, durability) and sizes the DPP infrastructure in 2026.
Footwear: falls outside the first textile delegated act (§2.2.3 Working Plan). Study to be finalised by the end of 2027 + a later delegated act. Its own calendar.
Ecolabel layer: Decision (EU) 2026/66 extends the EU Ecolabel textile criteria until 31 Dec 2028, anticipating convergence with the textile delegated act.
Summary: in 2026 a brand must architect the DPP platform, not wait for the delegated act to be published. The 2028-2029 window for substantive compliance is narrow if the investment is not sized in 2026.
Common mistakes
The ESPR textile delegated act is not yet published.
As at May 2026 the ESPR textile delegated act has not been adopted. Any reference to specific content is an expectation based on the Working Plan COM(2025) 187 and studies JRC 145830 + EPRS PE 757.808. The actual legal instrument, when published, may modify the perimeter, dates and requirements.
The textile delegated act does not cover footwear.
Footwear has a separate sectoral study per §2.2.3 of the Working Plan, to be finalised by the end of 2027. The first textile delegated act covers clothing and accessories; footwear will arrive with its own later delegated act and its own calendar.
The 2027 timeline is not the date of substantive compliance.
The 2027 timeline is the indicative window for adopting the delegated act. The substantive application date falls, per Art. 4.4 ESPR, no earlier than 18 months after the delegated act's entry into force, placing real compliance between 2028 and 2029.
It does not replace the Textile Labelling Regulation 1007/2011.
The Working Plan §2.2.1 indicates that the ESPR information requirements for textile-apparel "will work in synergy" with Reg. (EU) 1007/2011 on fibre labelling, currently under review. The two coexist, they do not replace one another.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ESPR textile delegated act?
A sectoral regulatory instrument envisaged by Art. 4 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 ESPR that will set the binding ecodesign (Art. 6), information (Art. 7) and Digital Product Passport (Art. 9.1) requirements for textile-apparel. As at May 2026 it is not published. Indicative adoption timeline 2027 per the Working Plan COM(2025) 187.
When will the ESPR textile delegated act enter into force?
Indicative adoption timeline: 2027 (§2.2.1 Working Plan). The substantive application date falls, per Art. 4.4 ESPR, no earlier than 18 months after the delegated act's entry into force, placing real compliance between 2028 and 2029. The dates are indicative and may shift.
Does the ESPR textile delegated act cover footwear?
No. Footwear has a separate sectoral study per §2.2.3 of the Working Plan, to be finalised by the end of 2027. The first textile delegated act will cover clothing and accessories (CN codes 4203, 61, 62, 6504, 6505); footwear will arrive with its own later delegated act.
What obligations will the ESPR textile delegated act bring?
Three expected blocks: ecodesign (Art. 6 ESPR: durability, recycled content, reparability, substances of concern, footprint), information (Art. 7: detailed composition, care, origin, impact declarations) and a mandatory Digital Product Passport (Art. 9.1: unique identifier, data carrier, machine-readable data). The concrete detail depends on the final drafting of the delegated act.
What should I do today as a textile brand while it is not published?
Size the DPP infrastructure in 2026 with an extensible schema. Substantive compliance estimated for 2028-2029 leaves a 2-3 year window. Waiting for the delegated act to be published before starting the sizing operates against the clock. Brands with an active Ecolabel (Decision 2014/350) start with an advantage: reusable evidence.
Fuentes oficiales
- European Parliament · European Council · OJEU L of 28.6.202413 jun 2024regulation
- European Commission16 abr 2025policy
- Joint Research Centre (JRC) · European Commission2024study
- European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS)2024study
