This regulation is designed to promote sustainable use of batteries throughout the EU’s value chain. To achieve this, electric vehicle batteries will have a carbon footprint and portable batteries will be easier to replace. The Environment Council will also establish social and corporate responsibility obligations for the extraction of raw material and more ambitious collection targets and recycling targets. The Environment Council also discussed aspects of the EU Fit For 55 package, further development of CO2 limit values in vehicle fleets, and the introduction a separate emissions trading scheme to heat and transport.
Steffi Lemke, Federal Environment Minister: Batteries are key to a successful energy transition. They store energy from solar panels on houses and buildings, as well as electric cars and other electrical appliances. Batteries can also contain valuable raw materials or contaminants. Climate action should not cause more destruction or damage to the environment. We want to make batteries as sustainably and long-lastingly as possible. We also want to recycle them. Europe is playing a leading role in the world by enhancing environmental and social standards throughout its supply chain. Consumers should have the ability to rely upon the sustainability of battery technology. By introducing a carbon footprint on electric cars’ batteries, we are creating transparency. EU-level collection and recycling targets that are more ambitious will allow for more reliable collection of and recycling of batteries. We have had positive experiences in Germany with this, and have in the past exceeded EU requirements. We want to do even better. We are pushing for higher EU targets.
Another important milestone in the road to its adoption is the Council’s general approach to the batteries regulation. This regulation is a landmark reform in the EU’s internal market, as it focuses for the first time on the entire battery life cycle. To reduce adverse effects along the entire value-chain, for example, the carbon footprints of electric vehicle batteries (traction battery) and industrial batteries will both be calculated. These batteries will also be subject to performance classes and limit values. The new batteries regulation will establish a recyclate (recycled content) quota starting in 2031 for large-traction and industrial batteries. The minimum quotas of recycled content for lead, cobalt and lithium will be applied.
The regulation also specifies minimum requirements to ensure the durability of industrial batteries as well as portable batteries of general purpose. The regulation is a joint effort by EU partners to ensure that batteries can be easily removed and replaced in light transport (LMT), such as ebikes, and appliances. For example, batteries that have a shorter lifespan than the product they are attached to should be able to be replaced by end users or independent repair shops. The collection targets for mobile batteries will be successively increased to 70% and 54 percent respectively for LMT batteries (according a draft regulation: 8 years after the entry into force; probably up to 2030).
In addition, the battery regulation lays down corporate responsibility in a unique way: For the first-time, businesses in the supply chain for a particular product group, such as batteries, will have to comply with due diligence requirements. Particularly, international raw material supply chains will be regulated to address environmental issues. Signalling effects will also be generated for future regulations. The European first Digital Product Passport will be introduced with the battery passport. The passport will combine and make available key information at all stages of the lifecycle of traction and industrial battery.
The European Parliament adopted its position last week with a large majority. The Environment Council has decided that the final agreement between the EU member states and the European Parliament and European Commission must be reached within a short time. The EU Batteries Directive of 2006 has been replaced by the new batteries regulation.
