Castles Technology has published a whitepaper that sets out how a wave of European Union rules is changing what retailers need from point-of-sale systems at the checkout.
The paper, titled POS Compliance in 2026: What Retailers Need to Know, argues that compliance tasks that previously sat in back-office processes now influence the in-store transaction experience. It points to requirements that touch payment security, instant settlement, accessibility, tax reporting, product traceability and digital identity.
Castles Technology is a payments technology supplier that sells Android-based payment acceptance products. The company positions the checkout as the location where several regulatory changes converge, rather than a series of separate obligations handled by different teams.
Converging rules
The whitepaper lists a range of EU and national initiatives that it says drive new technical and operational demands on in-store technology. It highlights PCI DSS v4.0, the EU Instant Payments Regulation and the EU Accessibility Act. It also points to national e-invoicing mandates, the General Product Safety Regulation and the forthcoming European Digital Identity Wallet.
Castles Technology says the combined effect stretches expectations for point-of-sale systems beyond payment acceptance. The paper links the shift to security, inclusion and data integrity. It also links it to how retailers establish trust at the moment of transaction.
Retailers with large store estates often run mixed environments. Many continue to use older payment terminals and integrated tills while adding new checkout options such as self-service, mobile point-of-sale and assisted selling devices. The whitepaper frames that mix as a compliance challenge as rules change and timelines overlap.
Operational impact
The paper sets out “the most significant regulatory milestones impacting physical retail between now and 2026”. It separates what it describes as mandatory requirements from forthcoming ones. It also flags areas where it says retailers carry higher exposure.
Castles Technology ties several of the changes to the checkout process itself. Instant payments emphasise real-time confirmation and settlement experiences. Accessibility requirements can affect how customers interact with payment devices and checkout screens. Product safety and traceability measures can influence data capture and record-keeping at the point of sale.
The paper also points to the impact of e-invoicing rules. It describes structured invoicing as a technology requirement that can reach into store systems, especially for retailers operating across multiple EU markets with different national mandates.
Technology choices
Castles Technology uses the whitepaper to discuss modern Android POS platforms in the context of regulatory change. It describes Android devices as a way to run payment acceptance alongside other functions. The paper references support for real-time payments, accessibility features, structured e-invoicing and traceability across jurisdictions.
The whitepaper also includes what it calls a practical point-of-sale compliance checklist. It frames the checklist around readiness across hardware, software and operational processes. It asks organisations to identify gaps in current deployments and in how they manage updates, security and procedures in store.
Retailers and payment providers already manage security obligations through standards such as PCI DSS. The paper’s argument is that new obligations will sit closer to the front line. That shift can push compliance work into store operations, staff training and customer-facing experience design.
Executive view
Jean-Philippe Niedergang, Acting Group CEO and EMEA-Pacific-Latam CEO at Castles Technology, linked the shift to consumer expectations as well as regulation.
“Regulation is no longer something retailers can address after the fact. It now starts at the checkout. Payment security, accessibility, instant settlement and digital identity are becoming fundamental expectations, driven by regulation as much as by consumers. This whitepaper is designed to help retailers understand what’s coming, what’s mandatory, and how to turn compliance into a strategic advantage rather than a constraint,” said Jean-Philippe Niedergang, Acting Group CEO and EMEA-Pacific-Latam CEO, Castles Technology.
Beyond deadlines
The whitepaper also looks beyond near-term compliance milestones. It points to digital identity wallets, biometric authentication and Open Banking integration as areas that could influence checkout design and payment flows. Castles Technology describes the European Digital Identity Wallet as a forthcoming component in that shift.
Castles Technology says the intended audience includes EU retailers operating physical and omnichannel stores, along with payment decision-makers and IT leaders responsible for point-of-sale strategy and compliance. It also targets acquirers, payment service providers and point-of-sale partners that support merchants.
The company argues that retailers will need to treat the point-of-sale estate as a compliance focal point as requirements broaden across payments, accessibility and transaction-linked data.