The European Commission services are launching an in-depth assessment of the situation of the European textile/clothing and footwear sectors as well as on the prospects for their future development. The main goal is to better equip national/regional and European authorities as well as social partners and the business community to respond to structural and to the crisis challenges and minimise its socio-economic consequences, particularly in the less-favoured regions which are heavily dependent on textile/clothing and footwear manufacturing.