EU strengthens battery-related legislation

The European Commission recently announced a draft law on amending the 'Battery Directive' and plans to establish a new battery regulatory framework to ensure that batteries on the EU market meet continuous, high-performance and safety standards throughout the product cycle. The draft is currently soliciting public comments and will enter the legislative debate process after February 24. This draft law is proposed on the basis of the 'Battery Directive' published by the European Union in 2006, and aims to accelerate the transformation of the green economy and enhance the competitiveness of the European battery industry. EU Commissioner for Environment, Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sinkiewicz said that the EU will ensure the security of the supply of key raw materials, use clean energy during processing, limit the use of harmful substances, and improve energy efficiency and material durability. According to the European Organization for Environmental Citizenship, battery manufacturing is an energy-intensive industry. Extending battery life, increasing recycling rates, and introducing environmental protection standards can reduce energy waste and environmental pollution, and promote the development of European renewable energy and the transition to clean transportation. , Is a key factor for the EU to achieve its climate neutrality goal. Currently, the EU's battery industry accounts for less than 5% of the global battery manufacturing market. In order to get rid of the dependence on imported batteries, the European Union established the European Battery Union composed of local companies in 2017. It plans to lead by Germany and France to establish 10 to 20 large-scale power lithium battery factories in Europe. The EU hopes that by 2025, its battery output will meet the needs of the local automotive industry and become the world's second largest battery market. According to the draft, from July 2024, manufacturers and suppliers of industrial and electric vehicle batteries must provide carbon footprint statements. Starting from January 2026, products must be labeled according to the carbon intensity performance category, so that consumers can know the carbon emissions, battery capacity, service life and recycling methods during battery processing, whether it contains harmful substances and safety risks, etc. information. The draft plans to increase the recycling rate of portable batteries from the current 45% to 65% by 2025, and to 70% by 2030. All other types of batteries must be recycled. The proposal also provides mandatory quantitative standards for the content of recyclable components contained in battery packs. The new regulatory framework will not only affect self-produced batteries in all EU member states, but also apply to imported batteries. The carbon footprint of the battery, the content of recyclable components, and the reliability of the purchase of raw materials must be subject to mandatory third-party verification. The EU will also establish an online battery data system to allow consumers to know and track the full life cycle of all batteries on the market. Many EU countries have legislated to require processors or retailers to bear the obligation to recycle the batteries they process or sell. The Netherlands stipulates that battery processors and importers are fully responsible for recycling and disposing of the products they operate, and must inform consumers of the location of the recycling. In Germany, consumers are obliged to send used batteries to shops or waste recycling stations. The latter must unconditionally receive and transfer them to a treatment plant for harmless treatment. Some municipalities also regularly send vehicles to door to recycle used batteries. Sweden not only requires battery retailers to recycle used batteries, but also imposes a special sales tax on battery sales. The tax is used to pay for recycling, transportation, and disposal of batteries. The European Association of Rechargeable Batteries and Lithium Batteries welcomes this move by the European Union, believing that it will help promote the European battery industry towards a more sustainable, innovative, and internationally competitive direction. However, the organization is also worried that some of the new rules in the proposal are quite complicated and increase the difficulty of implementation. Disclaimer: Some pictures and content of articles published on this site are from the Internet. If there is any infringement, please contact to delete. Previous article: What is a sodium-based battery? Which is better than lithium battery?