Brussels – The European Union has issued a new battery regulation. This will gradually introduce new requirements for manufacturers and consumers. They are designed to reduce and monitor the harmful effects of battery procurement, manufacture, use and disposal.
The European Union’s new battery regulation has come into force. It aims to create an important circular economy for batteries in one of the world’s largest markets. In doing so, the EU aims to address one of the biggest challenges in the transition to a sustainable economy: the recycling of batteries from electric vehicles and other applications.
The new battery regulation will ensure “that batteries in the future have a low carbon footprint, use minimal harmful substances, require fewer raw materials from non-EU countries, and are collected, reused and recycled to a high degree in Europe,” according to a media release from the European Commission. “This will support the transition to a circular economy, increase security of supply for raw materials and energy, and strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy.”
To this end, a corresponding regulation will gradually introduce declaration requirements, performance classes and maximum limits for the carbon footprint of electric vehicles, light transport such as e-bikes and scooters, and rechargeable industrial batteries from 2025. This requires companies to identify and manage social and environmental risks associated with the sourcing, processing and trading of raw materials such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and natural graphite.
Beginning in 2027, consumers will be able to remove and replace batteries in electronic devices at any point in their life cycle. This is to extend the life of these products before their final disposal. Companies must label their batteries with QR codes that include the date of purchase and other data so that consumers and regulators can also track the origin of the products.
The measures are intended to contribute to net zero emissions in the EU by 2050. Around 17 percent of the demand for batteries is expected to come from Europe. It is calculated that their use is expected to increase 14-fold by 2030. ce/jd
