cross-posted from: https://lemmy.sdf.org/post/44169383

Italy plans to apply an extra levy on Chinese fast fashion products to help shield its fashion industry from low-cost foreign imports, government sources told Reuters on Wednesday.

The move is aimed at avoiding unfair competition in the market for what is one of Italy’s key industries, the people said, adding Rome would likely impose the charge on online retailers Temu and Shein, among others.

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There is growing alarm in European capitals that China is progressively diverting goods at lower prices to EU markets as a way of making up for its lost U.S. trade, following the tariff policies adopted by President Donald Trump.

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Rome plans to intervene by adopting a scheme envisaged in a European Union directive on the so-called Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the sources said.

The charge will force manufacturers to cover the costs of collecting, sorting and recycling their products once they become waste.

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[Industry Minister Adolfo] Urso also underlined that measures were being introduced to help ensure that workers’ rights were not abused in the supply chain in Italy after a series of high-profile cases involving leading brands.

“We are very pleased with the speed at which Minister Urso and his team are working, responding to the needs of our industry and, above all, defending ‘Made in Italy’,” said Luca Sburlati, head of the Confindustria Moda industry lobby.

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