Südwesttextil calls for risk-based product safety rules

The industry association Südwesttextil is calling for more differentiated regulations following the revision of the Product Safety Act, which incorporates European safety standards into national law. While supporting high levels of consumer protection, the association argues that the current draft lacks legal clarity and imposes disproportionate administrative burdens on companies.

A primary concern is the absence of risk-based categorization. Currently, companies must perform risk analyses for all textile products, regardless of whether they are simple T-shirts or complex items like sleeping bags. Südwesttextil advocates for a systematic classification system that offers simplified procedures for low-risk standard textiles while maintaining strict requirements for higher-risk products.

Additionally, the association seeks to reduce bureaucracy regarding language requirements. Rather than requiring all instructions to be in German, they suggest limiting mandatory German text to critical safety warnings and utilizing international pictograms or digital solutions for other information. They also criticize proposed national deviations from European standards regarding product recall regulations.