The European Commission has presented a proposal that is designed to modernise the EU’s regulatory framework for batteries in order to secure the sustainability and competitiveness of battery value chains. The proposal is part of the European Green Deal and related initiatives, including the new circular economy action plan and the new industrial strategy.
The proposed regulation concerning batteries and waste batteries has three interlinked objectives:
- strengthening the functioning of the internal market (including products, processes, waste batteries and recyclates), by ensuring a level playing field through a common set of rules
- promoting a circular economy
- reducing environmental and social impacts throughout all stages of the battery lifecycle.
The proposal would introduce mandatory requirements on
- sustainability, e.g.
- carbon footprint rules
- collection rate targets
- recycling efficiencies
- recycled content declaration
- material recovery targets (minimum recycled content for cobalt, lead, lithium and nickel)
- minimum electrochemical performance and durability criteria
- obligation of battery replaceability
- safety
- labelling
- due diligence for economic operators in putting into service of batteries
- end-of-life management, e.g.
- battery management system
The draft report is next expected to be considered by the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Committee of the European Parliament in October 2021.
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