A new regulation

---

To replace the previous EC Directive on batteries from 2006, the European Commission proposed a new European regulation on batteries in December 2020, which was approved in July 2023 by the European Parliament and the European Commission.

The aim of this new regulation is to govern the entire life cycle of batteries entering the EU market, ensure safety against the risks of batteries, embed their development within a circular economy approach, and strengthen the EU's strategic autonomy.

The articles mainly concern batteries for electric vehicles, light transport vehicles, and industrial batteries, as well as portable, starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) batteries.

Key points of the regulation

---

Carbon footprint of electric vehicle batteries – Article 7 and Annex II

One of the most significant changes in this regulation is the introduction of mandatory carbon footprint declarations for batteries entering the European market from 2025. This will gradually lead to carbon footprint classes by 2026 and maximum carbon footprint thresholds by 2028.   

Due diligence – Articles 48, 49, 50, and 52

Under the new regulation, companies will be subject to due diligence policies to address the social and environmental risks associated with the sourcing of critical raw materials for the EU, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite. Documentation related to compliance with due diligence will be verified by third-party organisations and subjected to regular audits.   

Battery recycling targets by 2025 – Article 57 and Annex XII

• For lithium batteries (by weight): 65%  
• For other used batteries (excluding lead-acid and nickel-cadmium batteries): 50% 

Material recovery targets for batteries  

	End of 2027	End of 2031
Cobalt / Nickel / Copper	90%	95%
Lithium	50%	80%

Minimum recycled material content in batteries – Article 8

	End of 2031	Fin 2036
Cobalt	16%	26%
Lithium	6%	12%
Nickel	6%	15%

Battery passport – Article 77

Starting in 2027, every battery sold in the EU will have a QR code. This code will provide access to a digital passport. Consumers will be able to view information such as composition, chemistry, hazardous substances, carbon footprint, and recycled content. The passport will also contain data reserved for value chain actors, such as the battery's condition. This will facilitate its treatment, repair, remanufacturing, or recycling within a circular economy approach.