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The President of ATP – Textile and Clothing Association of Portugal, Mário Jorge Machado, was this Friday appointed President of Euratex, the Confederation of the European Textile and Clothing Industry. The General Assembly also resulted in the appointment of Alberto Paccanelli, the previous President, as Honorary President. At the head of ATP since 2019, Mário Jorge Machado has been noted for his strategic leadership in the textile and clothing sector, promoting innovation and sustainability.
In an announcement, he shares his vision for Euratex: “the latest indicators show that the European industry has lower growth rates than its competitors; this is something we have to reverse,” he points out. Going further, “policymakers have to realise that the textile industry cannot be a bargaining chip in global negotiations. We see what the United States is doing to support its industry, and we see what China is doing to support its industry. Europe has fallen behind in supporting its industry.”
The new President of the Confederation also notes that “during the last mandate, the EU issued a lot of legislation on sustainability and circularity aimed at the manufacturing industry. However, if we want this strategy to succeed, we need to focus more on the consumer dimension.” In conclusion, he emphasises that “Euratex has a very important role to play in pressing for the legislative process to be carried out in accordance with the principles of sustainability and circularity”.