What “Made in Europe” Really Means: A Consumer Guide to Origin Rules

What Does “Made in Europe” Really Mean?

Claims such as “Made in France,” “Made in Italy” or “Made in the EU” do not necessarily mean that every raw material and every stage of production comes from the place named on the label.

Within the European Union, origin is primarily determined under non-preferential rules of origin. When several countries are involved, a product is generally attributed to the country where it underwent its last substantial transformation. For textiles, this means looking at the manufacturing operations that actually matter: cutting, making-up, assembly and other decisive transformations.

The French Case: What Is Required to Claim “Made in France”?

In France, claims such as “Made in France” or “Fabriqué en France” must comply with the applicable EU rules of origin.

Depending on the product, origin can be determined by a specific manufacturing operation, a change in customs classification, a maximum proportion of non-originating materials, or a sufficient level of processing carried out in France.

For textiles, a light finishing operation is not necessarily enough. For example, for certain T-shirts classified under CN 6109, simply printing, flocking or packaging the garment in France does not by itself confer French origin. The making-up must satisfy the applicable origin rule.

Foreign raw materials can therefore be used in a product that qualifies as French origin, provided the manufacturing operations performed in France meet the legal criteria.

A French Specificity: Information sur le Made in France (IMF)

France also offers a specific procedure called Information sur le Made in France (IMF).

This free procedure allows a company to submit its manufacturing process to French Customs, including the materials used, their origins, the production stages and the countries where those stages take place. Customs can then assess whether the process supports a French-origin claim.

The IMF procedure is not mandatory, but it can help a company secure its origin claim before marketing a product. Origin claims can also be checked by French Customs and the DGCCRF when they may mislead consumers.

France, Italy, Portugal, Germany: Are the Rules Different?

The customs foundation is largely shared across the European Union, but some countries have additional national procedures or protected claims.

France: EU origin rules apply, with the additional possibility of using the IMF procedure to obtain an official assessment of the manufacturing process.

Italy: EU origin rules also apply, but Italy provides stronger national protection for claims such as “100% Made in Italy”. Such wording implies a higher level of Italian production than a standard Italian-origin claim under customs rules.

Portugal, Germany, Spain, Poland, Romania and Bulgaria: these countries also operate within the EU origin framework. Differences mainly concern national enforcement practices, competent authorities and any complementary national or sector-specific schemes.

In other words, “Made in France” and “Made in Portugal” do not rely on two completely separate definitions of customs origin. The legal foundation is largely common, while verification and presentation can differ.

“Made in Europe” Also Covers Major Wage Differences

Beyond origin law, producing in Europe does not mean producing with the same cost base. Eurostat data for July 2026 show large differences in approximate gross national minimum wages:

Italy, Denmark, Austria, Finland and Sweden do not have a single national statutory minimum wage; wage floors are mainly determined through collective bargaining.

These figures are not a direct measure of textile-worker wages, but they illustrate the scale of economic differences between European countries.

How Does This Affect the Price of a Garment?

The final price of a garment depends on many factors, including fabric, trims, production volumes, energy, logistics, quality control, taxes and margins. Labour nevertheless remains an important part of garment manufacturing.

For a comparable product, carrying out cutting, sewing and finishing in a country with higher wages and employer costs will generally increase manufacturing costs. Two garments can therefore both be “Made in Europe” while having very different cost structures depending on whether they are produced in France, Portugal, Romania or Bulgaria.

This does not automatically make one garment better than another. It does, however, explain why the expression “Made in Europe” alone cannot explain a product’s price.

Why the Exact Country of Manufacture Matters

For consumers, it is often more informative to know precisely where a garment was cut, sewn, assembled and finished. A specific national origin therefore provides more information than a broad “Made in Europe” statement.

At ERVERTE Paris

At ERVERTE Paris, we favour precise information about where products are manufactured rather than relying on a general reference to Europe. Our aim is to make it clear where the main production stages actually take place and what the origin claim used on a garment really means.

Conclusion

“Made in Europe” covers very different realities. European countries share much of the same origin framework, while national verification practices, complementary schemes and production costs can vary significantly.

France is notable for the IMF procedure and controls by Customs and the DGCCRF, while Italy has specific protection for stronger claims such as “100% Made in Italy”. To assess a garment meaningfully, it is therefore useful to look at the exact country of manufacture, the operations carried out there and the level of transparency provided by the brand.

Sources

• European Commission — Non-preferential rules of origin
• Eurostat — Minimum wage statistics
• French Customs — Information sur le Made in France (IMF)
• DGCCRF — Fabriqué en France
• Italian legislation — protection of “100% Made in Italy” claims

Continue exploring: read what “Made in France” really means for clothing.