The EU will force manufacturers to make batteries more environmentally friendly, more easily replaceable and recyclable, according to an agreement reached on Friday between MEPs and member states, which is betting on the “circular economy” to boost battery production in Europe .
The text adopted covers the entire battery cycle, from design to end of life, and will apply to all types of batteries sold in the EU – smartphones, computers, household appliances, scooters, cars, industrial batteries …–, says a press release from the European Parliament.
From 2024, manufacturers will have to provide information on the total expected carbon footprint of each battery, from mining to recycling. And following 2027, only the batteries of electric cars that do not exceed a maximum threshold can be marketed. Sustainability and performance criteria will also be imposed in 2026.
Within three and a half years, smartphones or electronic devices will also have to be designed to be able to easily remove and replace the battery.
Above all, companies including batteries in their products will have to meet binding collection targets: 45% of telephone or computer batteries will have to be collected by 2023, and at least 73% by 2030.
For batteries of electric bicycles, scooters and scooters, the minimum take-back rate will be 61% by 2031.
All batteries collected must be recycled, with high levels of recovery for critical components: by 2027, the processes employed must enable the recycling of at least 90% of the batteries’ cobalt and nickel, as well as 50% of the lithium ( then 80% in 2031).
– “World reference” –
Finally, the composition of new batteries must include minimum levels of metals from waste recovery: following 2031, batteries for electric vehicles must incorporate 16% cobalt, 6% lithium and recycled nickel.
“These environmental requirements will apply to batteries produced in Europe as well as to imported batteries, and will gradually restrict access to the European market to the most durable batteries”, explains Pascal Canfin (Renew, liberals), chairman of the Environment Committee at the European Parliament. .
With the effect of strengthening European production and reducing, thanks to recycling, the EU’s dependence on imports of critical metals (lithium, cobalt, etc.), he observes.
“It’s a leap forward to strengthen our competitiveness, while the EU is very far behind Asia and the United States in terms of batteries”, agrees MEP Jessica Polfjard (EPP, right), negotiator of the agreement.
The EU is targeting 25% of global battery production by 2030, up from just 3% in 2020. The continent, which has massively beefed up investment in the sector, had around 40 factory projects last year of batteries.
“Global competition is fierce and demand has increased sharply; we want to ensure that we will not be a simple subcontractor dependent on others, and that clean mobility will generate jobs in Europe”, insists the Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton.
The text aims to increase consumer information: batteries will have to bear labels and QR-codes providing information on their performance and lifespan, and a “digital passport” will be created to detail their origin and composition, which will facilitate in end its recycling.
This law “makes it possible to rebalance the rules of the game between European manufacturers and importers” and will contribute to making batteries sold in Europe “the new world reference in terms of sustainability”, welcomes Lucien Mathieu, of the NGO Transport&Environment.
Especially since battery sellers will also have to ensure that the components (lithium, nickel, cobalt) have been extracted in compliance with high environmental and social standards, a “duty of vigilance” applying to the entire supply chain. supply, he notes.