OCTOBER 2026

Dear ECOS subscriber,

This month was all about standards - every October, ECOS rings in World Standards Day, a moment to celebrate the efforts of thousands of experts worldwide who develop standards that can help protect the environment, keep people healthy, and boost innovation.

We also saw the publication of the proposed revision to the Standardisation Regulation this month. You can learn more about developing timely, quality standards in our new article.

All this and more in this month’s newsletter.

Developing timely standards, but not at the expense of quality

Standards underpin public policies – and can be the make or break of their environmentally ambitious implementation. Delays in standardisation can considerably slow down the implementation phase, create uncertainty for businesses, and hinder innovation - but speeding up the development of standards should not come at the expense of quality.

Proposal to revise Europe’s standardisation system underpins quality standards for the Single Market

The European standardisation system is unique in the world because it lays the groundwork for expertise across industry, public authorities, and civil society to be heard when developing standards. The proposed revision to the Standardisation Regulation maintains this balance.

Read more here.

How standards can give us clean,
affordable energy

Every year, World Standards Day shines a spotlight on a different Sustainable Development Goal. This year was SDG 7 – clean and affordable energy. To celebrate this, ECOS, ANEC, and CEN-CENELEC co-hosted a webinar to explore the role of standards in lowering energy bills, and reliance on fossil fuels across Europe. Watch the recording here.

Accelerating circular electronics across Africa

From critical raw materials to end-of-life batteries, building a circular economy for electronics in Africa requires us to rethink how we design, use, and recover resources. At the Africa International E-Waste Conference, fittingly scheduled on International E-Waste Day, our Global Engagement Trainee, Esther Joyrell, took to the stage to explore how.

She highlighted which the pathways the battery value chain could take to offer greater circularity, sustainability, and economic opportunity for communities across Africa.

Can data centres in Europe be sustainable?

The European Commission certainly thinks so. Our Programme Manager, Edoardo Bodo, nuanced this on the FORESIGHT podcast, discussing the EU’s new energy labelling scheme for data centres, and whether it’s a meaningful step towards environmental transparency.

From niche to norm: How can the Industrial Accelerator Act scale up the market for low-carbon construction products

• Infographic: Ecodesign measures to reduce microplastic emissions from clothes
• A 2040 EU energy efficiency target: the European Union’s first line of defence
• Feedback on new rules for the recycling of plastic packaging
• Shaping the future of ecodesign for furniture in Europe

Get involved with ECOS

Call for experts: Textiles

ECOS is looking for experts on textiles and circular economy to represent environmental interests in the development of standards and related policies

Deadline: 16 November

Apply today >>

Bringing standards into the debate
with ECODES

In Madrid, ECOS and our member ECODES brought together decision-makers, industry, and civil society experts to discuss how to turn standardisation into a lever for environmental protection and competitiveness.

A very warm welcome to PELUM Kenya

We're delighted to welcome a new member to the ECOS Network! PELUM Kenya is a national network of organisations working to advance agroecological practices among small-scale farmers, pastoralists, and fisherfolk across the country.

Bridging the gap between land, communities, and clean energy

Réseau Cler (France) has been sparking dialogue about the tension between local land preservation, and the need to expand infrastructure for renewable energy. Check out their new feature in Notre Energie (FR) to see how municipalities in France are threading the needle.

Enabling an all-electric and connected future 

17 November - Hamburg, Germany / Online

In a hybrid event organised by the IEC Academy, our Global Engagement Director, Nerea Ruiz Fuente, will speak about the critical role standards play in enabling a successful energy transition, on both a demand and supply side. Sign up here!

Ecomondo 2026 – The Green Technology Expo

4 November - Rimini, Italy

Alongside policymakers, industry, and civil society, our Senior Programme Manager, Federica Pozzi, will be speaking on a panel at Ecomondo about how public procurement can drive demand for circular materials across the EU.