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The manufacture of technical textiles is in its nascency across North Africa, even more so in sub-Saharan Africa, with the continent having long been considered a low-cost, cut-and-sew destination rather than a production hub for value-added items. But due to the trend by European and US brands for near-shoring and diversification away from east Asian production, and the ambitions of certain African countries to develop a full manufacturing chain, the potential for making technical textiles in Africa is gradually emerging.…

The European Union (EU) has approved its ninth package of sanctions against Russia, following the country’s invasion of Ukraine, blocking the export of technologies used to create drones and missiles being fired at Ukraine power and water plants. These are designed to create misery during the Ukraine winter – with temperatures in Kyiv already falling below zero, worsening an invasion that the UN says has killed 6,826 civilians as of December 19.…

Tunisia’s textile and clothing sector may have expanded sales in 2022, notably through an export increase from January to September, up 11.9% year-on-year, according to the Tunis-based Technical Textile Center (CETTEX – Centre Technique du Textile). But its companies remain concerned about the stability of the national economy and potential long-term weaknesses.…

Dyeing and finishing capabilities in Africa’s largest textile producer, Egypt, are being undermined by government import and foreign currency restrictions, forcing manufacturers to use roundabout means to source raw materials, say industry critics. Sectoral development is also being impacted by the drop in investment in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and a downward slide in orders since the middle of this year (2022).…

The UK’s law enforcement and prosecuting authorities have been striving to mitigate the loss of automatic collaborative relationships with European Union (EU) member states, following Brexit. Keith Nuthall reports

A key priority of the talks forging the 2020 EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), (1) which underpinned Britain’s full Brexit form the EU on January 1, 2021, was salvaging the close relationship between UK and EU police and prosecutors.…

The International Public Sector Accounting Standards Board (IPSASB) will start detailed work developing sustainability reporting standards for public sector bodies.

Ian Carruthers, IPSASB chair, said: “The public sector needs its own specific sustainability reporting framework and the IPSASB should lead its development.”…

The European Parliament is reeling from the so-called ‘Qatargate’ cash-for-influence corruption and money laundering scandal that broke December 9 when Belgian police found over EUR1.5 million (USD1.6 million) cash in raids on locations across Brussels. In a December 15 resolution (1) on the suspicions of corruption by Qatar, passed by 541 votes in favour, two against, and three abstentions, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) agreed to suspend all work related to Qatar, notably on visa liberalisation and an aviation agreement, as well as to deny access to the Parliament for Qatari representatives.…

The UK and European Union (EU) textile and clothing sectors are still working out how to deal with the complex challenges brought by Brexit, with experts saying the industry has been suffering as a result. Work thus far has focused on dealing with the trading difficulties created rather than exploiting any theoretical opportunities created by increased UK regulatory autonomy since full Brexit came into being on December 31, 2020.…

With the Bank of England predicting Britain will be mired in recession until 2024 H2, the country’s clothing industry has been left considering how much worse this UK slump will be because of Brexit. The central bank has been focusing on more recent challenges – saying that “high energy prices and materially tighter financial conditions” (through interest rate increases fighting inflation) “will weigh on spending”.…

The European Commission is now assessing a first set of detailed proposed European Union (EU) mandatory sustainability reporting standards, delivered – on time – by the European Financial Reporting Advisory Group (EFRAG) Sustainability Reporting Board (SRB). (1)  

Due diligence assessments and potential amendments will now be undertaken by the EU executive, before its formal adoption of these standards, planned for next June (2023).…