On Friday 12 December, the European Union’s co-legislators reached a provisional agreement on new rules for end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). This text revises the regulation on circularity requirements applicable to the design of vehicles and the management of end-of-life vehicles.
Some points left unresolved in November (see EUROPE 13759/16) were resolved after a night of negotiations. Firstly, the question of the status of a vehicle as a ELV or used vehicle: a detailed list of criteria has been drawn up to determine whether the product is “technically repairable”. Otherwise, the vehicle falls into the ELV category.
The text specifies that this determination of status must be entrusted to “an independent automotive expert” and that “Member States may draw up an exhaustive list of independent automotive experts”.
The transfer of ownership of used vehicles is also affected. In particular, in the case of an online sale of a used vehicle, an economic operator will have to provide documents such as a certificate certifying that the vehicle is not end of life or a roadworthiness certificate.
Producer liability. An extended producer responsibility (EPR) system will be introduced three years after the new rules come into force. Car manufacturers will have to cover the costs and organisation involved in managing vehicles throughout their life cycle, rather than leaving this burden to consumers. This mechanism will continue to apply throughout the European market, not just in the Member State of the vehicle manufacturer.
Extended scope. In line with the preliminary agreements reached in November, the scope of the rules has been extended to more categories of vehicles, encompassing not only passenger cars but also heavy goods vehicles (trucks), motorbikes and special-purpose vehicles (fire engines, for example).
Recycling. The text also provides for an improvement in vehicle design and, within six years of the rules coming into force, new vehicles will have to contain at least 15% recycled plastic (this rate will be increased to 25% within ten years).
To facilitate this circularity, there is also a list of items to be removed before crushing.
“This legislation will help to promote recycling, increase resource security, reduce waste, encourage reusability and improve the traceability of lost vehicles, while avoiding excessive burdens and redundant obligations for our manufacturers”, according to MEP Jens Gieseke, rapporteur for the European Parliament.
Vehicle end-of-life management must also include “inspection strategies to detect illegal activities during the collection, processing and export of end-of-life vehicles”.
The regulation will also prohibit the export of used vehicles that are no longer roadworthy, from five years after the regulation comes into force.
The provisional agreement still has to be approved by Parliament and the EU Council before the revised regulation can enter into force. (Original version in French by Romain L'Hostis)