One market, one voice: industry calls for common rules in Circular Economy Act

Posted on 05.03.2026

MedTech Europe joins 65 industry associations in their call for an internal market legal basis to drive waste management step-change in the New Circular Economy Act announced for Q3/2026. Today’s waste management landscape across the EU remains extremely fragmented, marked by uneven performance and divergent national regulatory frameworks. The upcoming Act is an opportunity to address structural deficiencies by putting forward common rules across the EU, thereby helping circularity to scale and deliver tangible benefits for human and planetary health.

Besides, the lack of harmonised rules on waste management equally prevents the creation of a Single Market for secondary raw materials. As acknowledged by the European Commission in the Single Market Horizontal Strategy, divergent waste rules are among the most reported Single Market barriers, so-called ‘Terrible Ten’.

As the European Commission prepares for a new Circular Economy Act for Q3/2026, it received over 200,000 responses to its public stakeholder consultation. MedTech Europe’s contribution can be found here.

Meanwhile, the Commission continues its implementation work on key secondary legislations. MedTech Europe responded to the EC public consultation on draft implementing act on battery labelling. We welcome the Commission’s support for digitalisation of labelling. In particular, the draft Implementing Act now suggests batteries being labelled digitally when incorporated into products intended to be sterile until first use. MedTech Europe also calls for allowing to affix the battery label QR code to the instructions for use or the product’s surface. This will support the necessary protection of the sterile barrier of devices and access to life saving and life sustaining medical technologies for patients.