The event, organized by European Parliament trainees Tess Hollander and Sol Basarán van Ham, brought together young designers, MEP Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle (D66/Renew), and director Danny de Paepe of the The Hague office of the European Parliament to discuss how circular fashion aligns with the EU’s broader climate and sustainability targets.

Here are three key insights from the event:

1. Sustainability Takes Many Creative Forms

Young designers are proving that circularity is not a limitation, but a catalyst for innovation. By upcycling existing garments, utilizing natural dyeing techniques, and transforming industrial waste—such as discarded textiles from the fishing industry—into runway fashion, they demonstrate that sustainable design can be both viable and visually striking.

2. Bridging EU Policy and Citizens Through Creativity

Abstract European directives—such as the Green Deal, circular economy targets, and strategic autonomy—can feel distant from everyday life. Initiatives like the Europa Experience use accessible, creative mediums like a live fashion show to make complex policy goals tangible and inspiring for citizens and youth alike.

3. Consumer Behavior Shift is Essential

Stricter European regulations are necessary to hold the global fashion industry accountable. However, regulation alone is not enough. Lasting change requires a fundamental shift in consumer mindset: wearing garments longer, throwing items away less frequently, and actively embracing second-hand or upcycled alternatives.

Listen to the Full Episode

In the accompanying podcast episode (in Dutch), we speak with:

• Tess Hollander & Sol Basarán van Ham on organizing the event and youth participation in EU democracy.

• Danny de Paepe (Director of the European Parliament Office in NL) on making the Europa Experience an open hub for dialogue in The Hague.

• Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle (MEP D66/Renew) on the environmental impact of the textile industry and the consumer’s role in the green transition.

Hit play on the audio player above to listen to the full report, or click “View Transcript” to follow along in Dutch.

Europe’s islands and coastal villages are facing a unique set of challenges. From the impact of maritime policies and climate adaptation to local economic pressures, the gap between decisions made in Brussels and the reality on the ground is growing. The “Islands Strategy” is an investigative framework designed to bridge this divide—examining how European environmental and structural regulations actually play out in isolated or coastal communities.

Why is it needed now? Because regional identity and local survival often hang in the balance when top-down policies fail to account for geographical isolation.

In our latest episode, we ground this strategy in a concrete case study, exploring the practical frictions and local perspectives that policy briefs leave out.

🎧 Listen to the full audio report on SoundCloud:
Frictions EU - Islands & Coastal Villages Report

From Brussels policy making to local implementation: The 2026 Better Regulation agenda seeks to fix the "misfit" before the law is even signed.

The European Commission has a new mission: rules that are easier to understand, simpler to implement, and impossible to ignore. For too long, a "misfit" has existed between policy conceived in Brussels and the reality of national and local execution. This gap results in either ineffective rules for municipalities "on the ground" or expensive infringement procedures for national governments.

The consensus in 2026 is clear: policy must be better designed at the drawing board—especially for local and regional authorities.

The Strategy: Better Design, Less Red Tape

The new "Better Regulation" agenda introduces a robust toolkit: improved consultations, rigorous assessments for SMEs and public authorities, and a "subsidiarity filter" via the Committee of the Regions. By adopting a "one-in, one-out" rule (offsetting new burdens by removing old ones), the Commission aims to streamline the lives of local officials.

Catharina Rinzema, former MEP and current advisor at Castro EU, highlights the urgency: “Europe always lands locally, but it is rarely designed there.”

The Infringement Trap

When EU agreements aren't met, the European Commission can launch infringement procedures. While the Netherlands is rarely dragged before the European Court of Justice—averaging only once or twice a year—the "warning list" is much longer.

In 2023, the Netherlands Court of Audit noted that the country was an "average performer," with over 61 active cases regarding the poor or late implementation of directives. These procedures follow a strict path: informal talks, a "letter of formal notice," and finally a "reasoned opinion" before a case hits the Court.

Implementation Headaches: A Border Problem

Poor regulations don't just bother national governments; they paralyze local authorities. Rinzema argues, “We treat municipalities as mere executors, when in reality they should be co-designers of European policy.”

Raquel García Hermida-van der Walle (MEP, D66/Renew), the only Dutch member of the European Parliament's Regional Development Committee, sees these "policy frictions" daily. On the issue of safety and cross-border cooperation, the friction is palpable.

Take fireworks: a Dutch mayor cannot easily share safety info with a German colleague about a suspect with an illegal storage facility across the border. “If someone is caught with illegal fireworks on this side and rents a shed on the other, the Dutch mayor cannot simply pass that info on,” García Hermida-van der Walle explains. Between legal fireworks in Italy and bans elsewhere, the EU remains a "Union of policy frictions."

Capacity vs. Culture

Why does implementation fail?

• Professor Tanja Börzel (Berlin) points to administrative capacity and power dynamics.

• Professor Gerda Falkner (Vienna) looks at culture and "mores" toward the rule of law.

Falkner distinguishes between "law-observant" countries (like Scandinavia), countries where compliance is a political choice (the Netherlands), and those where implementation is structurally neglected. The 2026 agenda tries to bridge these views: reducing administrative burdens (Börzel’s focus) while using Territorial Impact Assessments (TIAs) to respect regional differences (Falkner’s focus).

Territorial Impact: The Haarlem Test

Arthur van Dijk, King’s Commissioner of North - Holland and leader of the Dutch delegation to the Committee of the Regions, is a vocal proponent of TIAs.

“New European policy requires solid Territorial Impact Assessments,” says Van Dijk. “It shows how measures might impact regions unequally. Policy that looks fair on paper in Brussels often plays out unfairly in practice. Strong EU policy doesn't start in Brussels; it starts by testing if it works in Haarlem, Heerhugowaard, or Hilversum.”

Combatting "Gold-Plating"

The Netherlands often falls into the trap of "gold-plating"—quietly adding national priorities (like extra-strict Natura 2000 rules) onto European directives. To help officials navigate this, the Kenniscentrum Europa Decentraal (KED) has become an essential resource.

Since 2002, KED has supported local governments with a helpdesk that handles 500 questions annually, primarily on public procurement and state aid. “In an era where European influence on local governance only grows, access to knowledge is not a luxury, but a necessity,” Van Dijk notes.

Looking Ahead: Designing from the Front

Dutch municipalities and provinces are no longer waiting for the final law. They are increasingly involved at the front end—providing opinions on the EU budget, noise pollution, rural policy, and housing via the Committee of the Regions.

Van Dijk concludes with a plea for realism: “European policy often sounds logical on paper but strands in practice. If the EU institutions take our signals seriously, legislation becomes not just better, but workable for the people who have to deal with it every day.”

As Catharina Rinzema (Former MEP, now consultant for Castro EU) puts it: “If you want European policy to work, you have to include municipalities and regions from the very beginning.”