Technical Secretariat & Governance
The Technical Secretariat is the guiding body that is developing the PEF Category Rules (PEFCR) for the apparel & footwear industry. It is made up of representatives of various stakeholders including brands (about 50% of the European market) from the fibre and textile sectors, NGOs, scientific experts, and governments to ensure different considerations in the decision-making process.
Active since December 2019, the Technical Secretariat has been developing robust, science-based calculation rules that detail the PEF methodology for
13 apparel & footwear product subcategories.
To ensure transparency and validate its work:
The group is observed by the European Commission and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB)
The PEFCR is open to two public consultations
The PEFCR undergoes several expert reviews before being submitted
Decisions are mainly taken by consensus, and voting sessions are organised when necessary
The Technical Secretariat members share a common objective for consistent and science-based rules to facilitate future comparisons between products.
Members of the Technical Secretariat:
26 members
Technical Secretariat coordinator
Voting members
Non-voting members
Technical Lead
Observers
Technical Lead
Observers
Timeline and actions — an iterative process
2019
The apparel & footwear project is selected by the European Commission and the Technical Secretariat is established
March 2020
Technical Secretariat kick-off
Summer of 2021
1st public consultation: 996 comments were integrated and/or answered
2022-2023*Supporting studies
Testing phase of the PEFCR on real products by companies
2024*
2nd public consultation
2024
The Technical Advisory Board (TAB) and the EU sub-group (EU Member States) give recommendations to the European Commission on the apparel & footwear PEFCR
2025
The European Commission adopts the apparel & footwear PEFCR, which can be used for future legislation. Brands and the industry would have to use this common framework to assess the environmental footprint of their products
2019
The apparel & footwear project is selected by the European Commission and the Technical Secretariat is established
March 2020
Technical Secretariat kick-off
Summer of 2021
Technical Secretariat kick-off
2022 Supporting studies
Technical Secretariat kick-off
2024*
2nd public consultation
2024
The Technical Advisory Board (TAB) and the EU sub-group (EU Member States) give recommendations to the European Commission on the apparel & footwear PEFCR
2025
The European Commission adopts the apparel & footwear PEFCR, which can be used for future legislation. Brands and the industry would have to use this common framework to assess the environmental footprint of their products
The Technical Secretariat develops the rules
BUT
The European Commission has the final decision in adopting the rules
Contribute to the development of the apparel & footwear PEFCR
Public stakeholder engagement is critical for a robust PEFCR development process
Stakeholders, brands, suppliers, civil society, policymakers, and institutions are invited to read and/or comment on the PEFCR to ensure the credibility and transparency of the process. Answers are provided for each comment, and the PEFCR is amended as required.
To participate in the public consultations
2. Provide comments using the European Commission ECAS systems – this is an important step to ensure transparency of stakeholder participation
Support the PEFCR
Brands, suppliers, civil society
Participate in the public consultation. You can also reach out to us directly for any further questions.
Policymakers or institutions
Explain what is behind the apparel & footwear PEFCR methodology and the added value for the industry.
Consumers
Make more informed purchasing decisions and continue to encourage more transparency towards the brands.
