EPDs for Data Cabling in Europe: the data guide
If you make copper or fiber data cabling in Europe, 2026 is the year to get your environmental house in order. This guide distills who is publishing, which program operators and PCRs they choose, when expiries cluster, and how to time your next declaration so you stay in specs and out of scramble mode.
What “data cabling” covers in EPD speak
Manufacturers use multiple labels for this space: structured cabling, LAN cable, Ethernet cable, ICT cable, twisted pair copper, and optical fiber. The EPDs below map to those families. Think Category 6 to 6A copper and singlemode or multimode fiber, plus select accessories that ship with the cabling systems.
The publishing curve since 2021
Momentum is real, with a clear surge through 2023.
| Year | EPDs issued |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 9 |
| 2023 | 25 |
| 2024 | 19 |
| 2025 | 3 |
Most activity landed in 2023 and 2024. The thin 2025 count likely reflects late‑year upload lag in public registries rather than a market slowdown.
Who is publishing the most
Twelve manufacturers released 57 current EPDs in the last five years. Nexans leads with 19. ACOME follows with 13. Mid‑tier contributors include Hager Group and SAS International at 5 each, then REXEL with 4 and Legrand with 3. Several specialists posted one or two, such as CAE Groupe and Cables de Comunicaciones Zaragoza. The center of gravity is unmistakably European, which aligns with how specifiers request EN 15804 aligned disclosures.
Program operators buyers actually use
Three program operators handle this category in Europe. Association P.E.P accounts for 49 EPDs across eight manufacturers, making it the default choice for most electrical and ICT products. EPD International AB and INIES each host four EPDs from three manufacturers. That spread shows healthy diversity, not a single‑publisher bottleneck. If your portfolio spans both building products and electrical items, P.E.P or Environdec can keep your library coherent across families.
PCRs in play and what they signal
PCRs are the rulebook of Monopoly. Ignore them and the game falls apart. In Europe, data cabling EPDs overwhelmingly rely on the electrical and electronics PCR rather than generic construction PCRs.
| PCR | EPDs | Latest expiry | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Category Rules for Electrical, Electronic and HVAC‑R Products | 53 | Apr 1, 2030 | Dominant path for copper and optical fiber cabling |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804+A2) 1.3.3 | 3 | Nov 15, 2028 | Used sparingly for cabling in construction contexts |
| PCR 2019:14 Construction products (EN 15804:A2) 1.2.5 | 1 | Nov 19, 2026 | Legacy footprint that is phasing out |
Roughly 93 percent of current declarations use the electrical PCR, which simplifies benchmarking within structured cabling families.
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Expiry hotspots you should plan around
The next five years are lumpy, and that matters for renewals and spec stability.
- 2026: 1 EPD
- 2027: 9 EPDs
- 2028: 25 EPDs
- 2029: 19 EPDs
- 2030: 3 EPDs
That 2028 to 2029 bulge will crowd verifiers and data collection teams. Most European programs treat EPD validity as five years, so set your renewal runway accordingly, ideally locking data and verification six to nine months before expiry to avoid gaps in bids (INIES, 2024).
The most recent EPD, as a signal
The newest record we see is REXEL’s “Câble F/FTP CAT6A 4P Dca 500 m,” issued on Apr 1, 2025 by Association P.E.P under the electrical and HVAC‑R PCR, valid to Apr 1, 2030. Copper keeps moving, even as fiber headlines grab attention. Use this as a reminder that Cat 6A remains an active battleground in spec packages for commercial interiors.
Consultants and service providers are used sparingly
Only 4 of the 57 EPDs involved a third‑party EPD consultant or service provider, about 7 percent. Most manufacturers kept authorship in‑house or through their usual LCA partners. If your team is bandwidth‑constrained, an experienced partner like Parq can streamline data wrangling, plant outreach, and verification logistics so your engineers stay focused on builds and customer pilots.
Operator nuance for EU portfolios
New EPDs in Europe follow EN 15804 with A2 indicators, which tightened reporting and comparability, and which program operators integrated by 2022 before continuing updates in 2024 summaries (ECO Platform, 2024). If you sell into both EU and UK specifications, confirm that your operator and PCR choice satisfy tender rules on each side to avoid duplicate studies.
Manufacturer landscape, zoomed in
- Nexans at 19 EPDs shows sustained release cadence across copper and fiber lines. That unlocks broad coverage at the SKU family level.
- ACOME’s 13 EPDs position them well for French and EU projects that reference P.E.P and INIES.
- Hager Group and SAS International at five each demonstrate targeted publication around high‑volume lines.
- REXEL and Legrand round out the upper tier, with new issues still landing in 2025.
If your line competes directly with these families, align your PCR choice and the declared unit so comparisons land apple to apple.
Notably absent or outside‑Europe EPD footing
A few big names are less visible in Europe right now. Belden shows no current EPDs in the public registries for data cabling, although many older declarations appear to have lapsed. Reichle & De‑Massari and Excel Networking do not surface current cabling EPDs. CommScope and Leviton do show active disclosures, usually published under ASTM or UL, which are often tuned for North American specs rather than EU operators. If your brand is on this list, moving first in your niche can be a genuine spec win.
Got better intel or a fresh publication we missed, ping me and I will update this section promptly.
Picking the right PCR and operator for your next release
Start by mapping competitor EPDs for your top three cabling lines. If most use the electrical and HVAC‑R PCR under P.E.P, follow that to maximize comparability. Use the construction products PCR when the product behaves like a fixed building element with clear A5 installation assumptions. Watch expiry clusters, especially 2028, then decide whether to advance a renewal early to beat the rush. It sounds simple, yet this decision saves weeks when tender calendars heat up.
What this means for your 2026 plan
Treat 2026 as an accelarate year. Close gaps where you lack coverage on key copper categories like Cat 6A and on your main fiber families. If you face a 2028 expiry, lock a data reference year now, not next spring. Need a sanity check on PCR fit or operator strategy, message me on LinkedIn and I am happy to share the full background dataset and hop on a quick call.
Data note: this guide draws on the global public EPD registry most specifiers use. Due to loading delays, some EPDs issued in the second half of 2025 may not yet appear. If you published recently and do not see yourself reflected here, reach out and I will incorporate the update.
(ECO Platform, 2024) and (INIES, 2024) are cited for program‑level rules and typical validity, respectively. No other external numeric claims were required for the analysis above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which program operator is most commonly used for data cabling EPDs in Europe and does it serve multiple manufacturers?
Association P.E.P is the clear leader with 49 EPDs spread across eight manufacturers in this category, indicating broad acceptance rather than a single‑manufacturer concentration.
Which PCR should a data cabling manufacturer in Europe pick in 2026?
In most cases, use the Product Category Rules for Electrical, Electronic and HVAC‑R Products. It covers 53 of the 57 current EPDs, supports structured cabling comparability, and has expiries reaching into 2030. Construction PCR 2019:14 is used far less often.
When do expiries cluster and how should manufacturers plan renewals?
The largest expiry waves arrive in 2028 and 2029, with 25 and 19 EPDs respectively. Aim to start renewal work 6–9 months ahead to avoid verification bottlenecks and maintain uninterrupted spec eligibility.
How often do companies use third‑party EPD consultants in this category?
About 7% of current EPDs reference an external EPD consultant or service provider. Most teams publish directly, though a partner can shorten timelines and reduce in‑house workload.
What was the most recent EPD issued in this category and what does it indicate?
REXEL’s Câble F/FTP CAT6A 4P Dca 500 m was issued on Apr 1, 2025 via Association P.E.P with validity to Apr 1, 2030. Copper cabling EPDs remain active, not just optical fiber.
About the Author
With a passion for sustainability and a love for complex data, Toby helps manufacturers efficiently collect data from across their organization and get their EPDs done right. He’s especially interested in how AI can support human expertise, helping R&D and factory teams work faster, smarter, and with less friction.
