With the support of the Italian government, the European Commission is organising a major textile and clothing event on 15 February 2008 in Milan, entitled “European fashion and innovation in tandem with EU values: a win-win formula”.

The European textile and clothing industry can be proud of its world leadership in fashion, design, quality and innovative products. The conference in Milan will demonstrate this leadership and how EU values and innovation can create the conditions within which the European textile and clothing industry can prosper in the medium to long term. The conference will further explain these EU values and examine how they might contribute to the sustainable development of the industry in the Euro-Mediterranean area. It will also consider what additional steps may be required by the industry itself and by the European Commission and EU Member States to enhance this development.

The conference will bring together members of EU and MEDA national administrations, EU institutions, representatives of the European textile and clothing industry, trade unions and consumer representatives and other participants from European and Mediterranean partner countries. Vice-President Günter Verheugen, Commissioner for Enterprise and Industry, and Italian Minister of Economic Development Pier Luigi Bersani will open the event. Conference speakers will include experts from public administrations, representatives from the textile and clothing sector and trade unions.

At the occasion of the 6th international textile fair MilanoUnica which takes place on 12-15 February 2008 at the fairgrounds of the Fiera Milano City in Milan (http://www.milanounica.it/eng_home.php), the participants registered for the conference will have access to this fair free of charge thanks to the kind offer of the conference partner based in Milan, the SMI-ATI (Federazione Imprese Tessili e Moda Italiane).