As we begin the new year, let’s have a look at some of the hot policy issues for vending for 2026 and how they are being approached in our relevant committees.

Electronic Payment Committee

The EPC is responsible for discussing all common issues and solutions with regards to cashless uptake in the industry.

In 2026 the EVA and the EPC members will be coordinating our next steps with regards to the EU Payment Services Regulation proposal. Primarily this will mean reaching out to the European Banking Authority (EBA) to present our position on updating Strong Customer authentication (SCA) limits.

Age verification will continue to be a big topic for the committee in 2026. Especially as more and more countries consider banning certain products like energy drinks for children, leaving age verification as typically the only means an operator can continue selling these products at all. The committee is following these requirements closely, monitoring new solutions as well as proposing a common procedure for age verification via the MDB.

There are also a number of Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) aspects that the committee will be continuing to watch this year – particularly how cashless refunds are dealt with through the national schemes, and providing input when necessary.

Finally the Electronic Payment Specification (EPS) register of compliant payment devices is ever expanding, providing machine operators the confidence when purchasing terminals for their machines. Promotion of the Register during key trade shows like Venditalia in 2026 will gave the products and companies on the register excellent additional visibility and can be a top benefit for EVA members on the committee.

Technical Committee

The Technical Committee likewise has a number of important dossiers to provide input into in 2026, with the review of the Energy Labelling and Ecodesign Regulations as one of the top priorities. The review team is expected to present their findings this year, and the EVA is keen to ensure our concerns have been fully understood.

The first committee meeting this year however will focus on the impact of the EU Data Act on vending, and ensuring members have a solid interpretation of what the requirements mean and how, when and with whom data should be shared.

Energy consumption of hot drinks machines is also a high priority this year as CENELEC develop a specific and tailored calculation methodology for vending coffee machines. This new standard is expected to partially replace the EVA Energy Measurement Protocol (EMP) when ready.

Finally, but certainly no less of a priority, is PFAS. The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) will launch consultations in March on their draft opinion on a PFAS ban. Previous committee investigations have found that more than 40% of the components in a vending machine are of high risk to contain PFAS, and therefore at risk of needing replaced in any future legislation.

Get involved and become a committee member

The monthly EU Newsletter is a great tool to receive as a member for regular policy updates, but adding your voice to the committee discussions and getting a more in depth clarity on these and many other topics is certainly beneficial.

Do you wish to join, participate or become more active in our committees? Then contact us today. Both the EPC and Technical Committees tend to have one physical meeting per year, with multiple online meetings throughout the year – so it’s easy to join and you and your expertise would be most welcome.