The European Union has adopted a new regulation, ensuring users will be able to easily replace their smartphone and other electronic devices batteries from 2027. The move is part of a plan to strengthen sustainability rules for batteries and waste batteries, regulating the entire life cycle of batteries, from production to reuse and recycling, and ensuring that they are safe, sustainable and competitive.
The regulation will apply to all batteries including all waste portable batteries, electric vehicle batteries, industrial batteries, starting, lightning and ignition (SLI) batteries (used mostly for vehicles and machinery) and batteries for light means of transport (e.g. electric bikes, e-mopeds, e-scooters).
End-of-life batteries contain many valuable resources and we must be able to reuse those critical raw materials instead of relying on third countries for supplies.
Teresa Ribera, Spanish minister for the ecological transition
By 2027 portable batteries incorporated into appliances should be removable and replaceable by the end-user, leaving sufficient time for operators to adapt the design of their products to this requirement. This is an important provision for consumers. Light means of transport batteries will need to be replaceable by an independent professional.
1. Recycling and reuse targets
The new rules aim to promote a circular economy by regulating batteries throughout their life cycle. The regulation therefore establishes end-of-life requirements, including collection targets and obligations, targets for the recovery of materials and extended producer responsibility.
The regulation sets targets for producers to collect waste portable batteries (63% by the end of 2027 and 73% by the end of 2030) and introduces a dedicated collection objective for waste batteries for light means of transport (51% by the end of 2028 and 61% by the end of 2031). The target for lithium recovery from waste batteries will be of 50% by the end of 2027 and 80% by the end of 2031, which can be amended through delegated acts depending on market and technological developments and the availability of lithium.Â
Mandatory minimum levels of recycled content for industrial, SLI batteries and EV batteries are also provided. These are initially set at 16% for cobalt, 85% for lead, 6% for lithium and 6% for nickel. Batteries will have to hold a recycled content documentation. The recycling efficiency target for nickel-cadmium batteries is set at 80% by the end of 2025 and 50% by the end 2025 for other waste batteries.
2. Labelling and sourcing
The new rules also aim to improve the functioning of the internal market for batteries and ensure fairer competition thanks to the safety, sustainability and labelling requirements. This will be reached through performance, durability and safety criteria, tight restrictions for hazardous substances like mercury, cadmium and lead and mandatory information on the carbon footprint of batteries.
The regulation introduces labelling and information requirements, among other things on the battery’s components and recycled content, and an electronic “battery passport” and a QR code. In order to give member states and economic actors on the market enough time to prepare, labelling requirements will apply by 2026 and the QR code by 2027.
Moreover, the move aims to reduce environmental and social impacts throughout the life cycle of the battery. To that end, the regulation sets tight due diligence rules for operators, with the exception of SMEs, who must verify the source of raw materials used for batteries placed on the market.
