Preparing for the Circular Economy Act 2026
The EU isn’t waiting – and neither should you. With the Circular Economy Act 2026 around the corner, manufacturers will soon need to prove exactly what’s inside their products, how long they last, and how easily they can be repaired or recycled. Under the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, failure to comply could mean losing entire markets. The future belongs to manufacturers who turn compliance into competitive advantage – starting today.
What the Circular Economy Act 2026 Means for Manufacturers
The Circular Economy Act 2026 is a cornerstone of the broader EU Circular Economy Action Plan. Its main goal is simple but ambitious: reduce waste and increase product lifespan across all major industries.
Instead of focusing only on recycling, the Act demands full lifecycle accountability. Manufacturers must design products that are durable, repairable, and easy to disassemble for reuse or recycling. It’s a shift from a “make–use–dispose” model to a “make–use–reuse–recover” circular economy principles, with strict rules on product design, material use, and after-sales support.
The Act introduces a phased approach:
- 2026 – Core requirements for electronics, textiles, and packaging industries.
- 2027–2028 – Gradual expansion to sectors like furniture, automotive parts, and construction materials.
- By 2030 – Full implementation across nearly all consumer and industrial goods.
Early compliance is not optional. Manufacturers who wait will face barriers to entering the EU market and risk fines, legal trouble, and damage to their reputation.
The Circular Economy Act 2026 is pushing manufacturers to rethink their products. They can’t just sell goods anymore – they need to build circular economy solutions that are easy to trace, repair, and reuse. Companies that focus on circular economy sustainability from the start will have a much better chance to stay competitive and grow.
![eCommerce Product Data Compliance with EU Regulations [Checklists]](https://gepard.io/uploads/2240х1260@2x-2.svg)
EU Compliance Made Easy: Essential Checklists for eCommerce Success
We’ll dive into key EU regulations like EPREL, GPSR, the Digital Product Passport, and more, complete with handy checklists you can use.
What Product Data You Must Capture to Comply
The EU Circular Economy Action Plan is setting a new reality: you’re not just selling a product anymore – you’re selling everything you know about it.
Under the Circular Economy Act 2026, manufacturers must supply a full “biography” of each product. Missing data? Incomplete records? That could mean blocked shipments, lost certifications, and angry customers.
Here’s what you absolutely must capture:
Material Composition
What’s your product made of, exactly? You’ll need detailed disclosures of every material and substance – no more “trust us” answers.
Repairability and Spare Part Availability
How easy is it to fix your product? How long will parts be available? Clear repair scores and parts guarantees will become standard, not optional.
Recyclability and Environmental Impact
TCan your product be easily taken apart and recycled? You must show real numbers that prove how much of it can be reused. You also need simple, clear documents that explain its impact on the environment. Both regulators and customers will be checking.
Digital Product Passports (DPPs)
Every product must carry a Digital Product Passport – a living record of materials, repairs, recycling instructions, and certifications.
If your data is scattered across spreadsheets, ERP systems, and supplier emails, you’re already behind.
Where Most Manufacturers Are Falling Short
With the Circular Economy Act 2026 getting closer, many manufacturers are finding out they’re not ready. The main problem? Their product data is all over the place.
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Fragmented Data Across Systems
A lot of important information is stuck in different systems – ERPs, spreadsheets, supplier portals, even old emails. Without a clean framework for data governance, it’s almost impossible to collect, update, or prove anything when regulators ask. Companies need one place where everything is organized, tracked, and easy to check.
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No Clear Responsibility for Sustainability Data
In many companies, no one is clearly in charge of the sustainability data. Different teams work with it – marketing, product, supply chain – but no one makes sure the information is complete and correct. Without clear data classification and ownership, gaps appear fast, leading to big compliance problems down the road.
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Poor Tracking of Materials
Most companies still can’t fully trace where their raw materials come from. They trust suppliers but don’t have proper proof. Under the Circular Economy Act, that won’t be enough. You’ll need solid, verified information about the source and sustainability of your materials.
If manufacturers don’t fix these gaps soon, they risk being shut out of the EU market before they even know what hit them.
Building a Product Data Stack That’s Ready
Preparing for the Circular Economy Act 2026 isn’t just about filling out a few new forms. Manufacturers need a strong framework for data governance to manage compliance data properly and prove it when needed.
This is where PIM (Product Information Management) and PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) systems come in. They help you capture all the new required fields – like material details, repairability, and recyclability – in one clean place. Without the right tools, keeping up with tough data compliance regulations will be a real struggle.
How To Boost Compliance with Circular Strategies
Align your business with EU ESPR rules to boost sustainability, cut waste, meet compliance, and unlock cost-saving circular strategies.
You’ll also need to update your product data models. It’s not enough to list sizes, colors, and SKUs anymore. Now you must track sustainability attributes: what your product is made of, how long it lasts, and how easy it is to fix. Good data classification will make everything faster, easier, and ready for inspections.
Smart manufacturers are also automating their workflows. Setting up systems that track changes, highlight missing info, and create audit logs automatically will save you time and stress. Using modern regulatory compliance tools helps not just with the Circular Economy Act but also with things like reach regulation compliance.
If you want to stay in the EU market, you need a smart, automated, audit-ready product data stack – built for today’s and tomorrow’s rules.
How Gepard PIM Can Make Your Life Easier?
The Circular Economy Act 2026 raises the bar for product data. Manufacturers now need clean, complete, and well-organized information to meet strict data compliance regulations.
Without strong data classification and control, staying compliant – or even selling products in the EU – will become harder.
Gepard PIM helps by centralizing product data, managing sustainability attributes, automating updates, and making compliance tracking much easier.
Contact us, and Gepard experts will advise you on the best compliance strategy tailored to your needs.
