We are writing to you on behalf of the European, Brazilian and Argentinian textiles and apparel manufacturers. Our sector supplies not only the creative and fashion industry
it also provides our society with essential products that enable the work in safe conditions for medical personnel, firefighters and police forces. In addition, textiles are used in many other sectors, such as automotive, building, aviation and shipbuilding, thus ensuring that all these products comply with the highest technological and safety standards.
During the last three years, multiple crisis have shown the vital importance of resilient supply chains, whose strength depends on well-established trade relationships, especially between like-minded partners, like Europe, Brazil and Argentina are. The recent travel of the Commission President Von der Leyen to Latin America, especially to Brazil and Argentina, demonstrates the importance of strengthening relations with key partners in the region.
We are glad to see that discussions about the need to finalise the EU-Mercosur agreement are taking place at the highest political level. This agreement fosters the common objectives of promoting free and fair trade, while creating mechanisms and platforms for cooperation on various topics of global importance, such as globalization and the promotion of diversified supply chains. It is especially essential for the textile and clothing sector, which has one of the most complex supply chains worldwide.
The EU-MERCOSUR FTA also allows the contracting parties to jointly tackle global sustainability issues, such as climate change, forest preservation, social and labour rights. We strongly believe that the EU-Mercosur agreement creates higher standards of environmental preservation and rainforests protection, ensuring that the pledges taken in the context of the Paris Agreement will be fulfilled.
We also welcome the possibility of intensifying cooperation between countries to strengthen the sustainable development of the sector. We cannot lose the great opportunity to work on these issues and find joint solutions.
We are confident that with the commitment and continued effort of both sides of the Atlantic the EU-Mercosur agreement can be ratified by all the contracting parties by the end of 2023. The European, Brazilian and Argentinian textiles manufacturers strongly support the initiative and calls on all the contracting parties to take the necessary steps to facilitate the finalisation of the agreement.
