52 PCB007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2025
Looking Ahead: The Circular Economy Act
The Global Electronics Association's position is
that emerging regional circularity policies can help
promote circularity for electronics. In addition, we
observe that circularity and digitalization are becom-
ing increasingly linked in the current
policy sustainability landscape.
The European Circular Econ-
omy Act, expected at the end
of 2026, will be a transfor-
mative piece of legisla-
tion, establishing founda-
tional rules for sustainable
product design, recycling,
and material sovereignty.
The Act aims to transform the
classic economic model from
"take-make-dispose" to a true circular
economy while promising to align sustainability with
competitiveness and strategic resilience. It targets
the issues of electronic waste (e-waste), trade barriers
due to the persistent, yet unresolved challenge of the
EU single market, and secondary raw materials recov-
ery. The first consultation is open until Nov. 6. We
will be consolidating and submitting feedback by
late October on behalf of our Association members.
What Can the Electronics Industry Do?
• Engage early on with policymakers, through
GEA as the consolidated voice of the global
electronics industry, to shape this upcoming
act into a workable policy
• Pilot circular business models and share les-
sons learned with GEA and policymakers
• Identify roadblocks to material recovery and
reuse, beyond associated costs
• Support the development of global quality stan-
dards for recyclates derived from waste from
electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
The Road Ahead, the Map, and the Territory
We believe that sustainability policies must be
ambitious, pragmatic, and aligned with business
realities. This belief, together with your data, is what
informs advocacy. Our best advocacy work is driven
by data, in dialogue with the industry we serve.
What Can the Electronics Industry Do?
You can support the development of better sustain-
ability policies for electronics by:
• Sharing-life business cases (e.g., when
regulations prevent innovation)
• Sharing your challenges in trying to
implement more sustainable alternatives
• Joining our working groups, webinars, surveys,
and consolidated public consultations
• Proactively getting in touch with us with
advocacy ideas, long before issues occur
Let's build sustainability policies that are smarter,
clearer, and more impactful together. PCB007
References and Resources
1. "Wired for Change: Electronics Industry Sen-
timent on Sustainability," authored by the
Global Electronics Association.
2. "Why Double Materiality Assessments Matter:
Compliance and Competitive Advantage,"
authored by the Global Electronics Association.
• Circular Economy Act
• Get Ready for the ECHA SEAC Consultation
• Joint Industry Request to EU on Omnibus
Package
• Recent Global Electronics Association Position
Statement
Diana Radovan is director of sustainability policy
at the Global Electronics Association.
D iana Radovan
