Smart Waste Portugal developed, within the scope of the TransformEC – Circular Transformation project, the Ecodesign Readiness Levels (ERL) methodology, an self-assessment tool that helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to understand to what extent they integrate ecodesign criteria in the development of their products and to define the next steps. Adapted to the reality of SMEs, the ERL functions as a diagnostic, planning and continuous improvement instrument, according to a press release.
According to the same source, the methodology also aims to help SMEs prepare for the changes introduced by the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), in force in the European Union since 2024. This new framework seeks to make products reusable, more durable, repairable, resource-efficient and recyclable, reinforcing the role of ecodesign in the transition to a circular economy.
According to the European Commission, 80% of a product’s environmental impacts are defined during the design phase. The results of existing European rules already show the impact of these measures. According to the Council of the European Union, ecodesign requirements applied to 31 product groups have allowed a 10% reduction in their annual energy consumption and saved 120 billion euros in energy costs.
“Ecodesign is one of the areas where the transition to a circular economy can translate into very concrete changes. This work has allowed us to better understand the current state of SMEs and, at the same time, to create tools that help them transform knowledge into action. We want companies to be able to identify their starting point, understand where they can evolve, and progressively integrate circularity criteria into the development of their products,” says Luísa Magalhães, executive director of Smart Waste Portugal.
Inspired by Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), used to measure technological maturity, the ERL adapts this logic to ecodesign. The scale allows positioning a product between meeting the minimum legal requirements and the systematic and strategic integration of sustainability in its development.
Based on this diagnosis, companies can identify improvement opportunities, set intervention priorities, guide investments in sustainable innovation, and monitor the evolution of the environmental performance of their products over time. The tool also helps prepare organizations for the new regulatory requirements and the growing market demands.
The methodology is intended for capacity building and decision support. It does not constitute a certification system nor does it verify legal compliance, and it should not be used to substantiate environmental claims, labeling, or external communications about the environmental performance of products. Its application presupposes that these products already comply with all current legal and normative requirements.
To facilitate the use of the tool, the Association provides a technical document on the methodology, the detailed matrix, an application manual, the self-assessment tool in Excel, and an explanatory booklet. All materials are available for download on the website of Smart Waste Portugal.
Within the scope of the same activity, Smart Waste Portugal also developed the study “State of Ecodesign in SMEs and Trends,” which characterizes the level of adoption of these practices, identifies trends, challenges and opportunities, and analyzes the implications of the new European regulatory framework. Based on documentary analysis, stakeholder consultations, and the systematization of practical TransformEC examples, the study deepens the understanding of SMEs’ needs and the conditions that can foster progressive and effective adoption of ecodesign.
Together, the ERL methodology and the study reinforce TransformEC’s commitment to corporate capacity building and provide knowledge and tools that help SMEs turn circularity into concrete product development decisions, support innovation, and strengthen competitiveness.
The TransformEC – Circular Transformation project is funded by COMPETE 2030, within the Support System for Collective Actions, in the Qualification strand, and is co-promoted by Smart Waste Portugal, CVR (Centre for Waste Valorization) and CECOLAB (Collaborative Laboratory for the Circular Economy).
