EU sustainable batteries regulation now in effect

author: FutureCar Staff    

After a lengthy legislative process, the new EU Batteries Regulation has been published in the Official Journal of the EU. The Regulation will come into effect later this month and will start from February 18, 2024. This Regulation aims to promote the sustainability of batteries throughout their entire life cycle and adds to the growing legislation on supply chain compliance. It applies to all types of batteries, including those used in industrial applications and electric vehicles. The requirements cover recycling, labelling, and due diligence.

The new Batteries Regulation replaces the existing EU Batteries Directive. The Regulation has three priorities: strengthening the internal market by setting standardized rules, promoting a circular economy, and reducing the environmental and societal impact of batteries. It lays down requirements for economic operators who place batteries on the market or put them into service in the European Union. This includes batteries imported from non-EU countries. The Regulation applies to various categories of batteries, including those used in electric vehicles, light transport, industrial applications, and starting, lightning, and ignition batteries. Economic operators refer to manufacturers, importers, distributors, and other individuals or entities involved in the battery supply chain.

Chapter VI of the Regulation specifies obligations for manufacturers, importers, and distributors. Notably, it establishes extended producer responsibility, meaning that producers are responsible for financing the costs of collecting, treating, and recycling batteries. They are also required to conduct surveys on mixed municipal waste, report on batteries and waste batteries, and provide information to end-users and waste operators. The Regulation also includes rules on green public procurement for batteries.

In line with the European Green Deal, the Regulation aims to protect the environment and promote circularity in batteries. Producers are set targets to collect a certain percentage of waste batteries by specific years. For example, by the end of 2030, 73% of waste portable batteries should be collected, and by the end of 2031, 61% of waste batteries for light means of transport should be collected. Targets for lithium recovery and mandatory minimum levels of recycled content are also set. The Regulation also requires portable batteries used in appliances to be removable and replaceable by the end-user by 2027.

The Regulation introduces harmonized rules on safety, sustainability, and labelling requirements. It restricts the use of hazardous substances and requires the disclosure of the carbon footprint of batteries. Labels will need to provide information on components, battery lifetime, and recycled content. A digital product passport and QR code linking to battery composition information will be required in the future.

Supply chain due diligence requirements will come into effect two years after the Regulation's publication. Economic operators will need to comply with due diligence requirements, including verifying the source of raw materials and publishing due diligence policies based on international standards. Non-compliance can result in restrictions or prohibitions on making batteries available on the market and the withdrawal of non-compliant batteries.

The Regulation will have a significant impact on companies in various sectors, such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and energy storage. It is an important legislative text in relation to the energy transition. The Regulation will enter into force on February 18, 2024, with a faded effective date for certain obligations. Secondary legislative files will be presented in the coming years to provide further clarification and rules on various topics related to batteries.

FutureCar Staff