In conjunction with the Green Deal and the European Battery Alliance, in particular, the European Commission presented, on Thursday 10 December, its proposal for a Regulation on batteries and battery waste management, amending Directive 2006/66/EC on Batteries. The aim is to give a boost to the European battery sector while at the same time setting the conditions to ensure its sustainability in view of the climate-neutral objectives of 2050.
Few changes are to be noted compared to the provisional version detailed in our publication (see EUROPE 12618/11). The initiative seeks to respond to three challenges: to strengthen incentives for the emergence of clean batteries “made in Europe”, to improve the recycling rate of batteries and, finally, to limit social and environmental risks.
The aim, explains the European Commission, is to define, in particular, a framework facilitating the re-use of batteries in electric vehicles so that they can have a second life, for example as stationary energy storage systems, or integration into electricity grids as energy resources.
Thus, from 1 July 2024, only rechargeable batteries for industrial and electric vehicles for which a carbon footprint declaration has been drawn up may be placed on the market. Then, from 1 January 2026, these batteries will have to carry a label detailing their carbon intensity performance class label and, from 1 July 2027, batteries will have to comply with maximum carbon footprint thresholds.
As of 1 January 2027, industrial and electric vehicle batteries will have to declare the content of recycled cobalt, lead, lithium and nickel they contain. For example, as of 1 January 2030, these batteries will have to contain minimum levels of recycled content, specifically 12% cobalt, 85% lead, 4% lithium and 4% nickel. From 1 January 2035, these levels will have to be further increased to 20% cobalt, 10% lithium and 12% nickel.
In addition, the Commission proposes to establish new requirements and targets for the content of recycled materials and the collection, treatment and recycling of end-of-life batteries. Thus, the current collection rate of 45% is expected to rise to 65% in 2025 and 70% in 2030.
For industrial batteries, the European Commission is putting forward minimum requirements for portable batteries by 1 January 2020, as well as for rechargeable batteries, requiring manufacturers to produce devices whose batteries are easy to remove and change.
It should be noted that the proposal imposes the principle of due diligence in terms of carbon footprint, recycled content and respect for human rights on imported batteries.
Better traceability. A common Electronic Exchange System (EES) is being set up by the Commission to meet this need. This system will record and provide the public with information on every battery model placed on the EU market. The data system will be linked to individual digital ‘Battery Passports’.
Transport & Environment more or less satisfied. Transport and Environment, a European non-governmental organisation that advocates clean transport, has welcomed “the world’s first ever sustainable battery law”. In particular, the NGO noted the importance of having incorporated the OECD’s due diligence principle to ensure human rights-compliant provisions. However, the NGO notes, the obligation, by 2030, to recover only 70% of the lithium from used batteries when about 90% can already be collected today is not ambitious enough, especially to stimulate investment.
To consult the proposed Regulation: https://bit.ly/2Lhd1GI and its Annexes: https://bit.ly/3gyaNhP (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)