In December 2020, the European Commission came up with a proposal to modify the regulatory framework for EU battery value chains. The proposed regulations cover batteries' full lifecycle from its design to disposal. This framework is likely to adopted as EU law in 2023 and thus replace 2006 Battery Directives.
As the global battery demand is expected to increase 14 folds by 2030, we can anticipate more regulatory tasks to be managed in the years ahead.
The EU Commission proposal:
• Will establish mandatory requirements such as carbon footprint rules, minimum recycled content, performance, and durability criteria.
• Safety and labelling for the marketing and putting into service of batteries.
• Requirements for end-of-life management for batteries
• Due diligence obligations for economic operators sourcing raw materials.
This proposal would act as a blueprint for further initiatives under the EU's sustainable product policy. The European Parliament has decided to support the initiative through a legislative framework can handle the environmental impact of the battery production through:
• Green design requirements
• Collection and recycling targets
• Sourcing the materials responsibly
The ENVI committee has sought to raise the standards proposed by the parliament after the adoption of the framework. This would require the scope to:
• Include batteries for Light Medium of Transport LMT like e-bikes
• Strengthen due diligence requirements
• Enforce economic operators to cover entire battery value chain for those available in the EU market.
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