Batteries Directive

Briefing 01-10-2020

The EU should create a competitive and sustainable battery manufacturing industry. The EU needs, therefore, a regulatory framework fit for purpose. However, this briefing shows that the design and implementation of the Batteries Directive, which is the main legal act regulating batteries and accumulators at EU level, suffer from deficiencies that makes it impossible for this piece of EU law to adequately respond to new policy challenges. Some of the most pertinent shortcomings of the directive relate to its incapacity to incorporate technical innovation, problems with certain definitions, the performance of Member States as regards the collection of waste batteries, as well as the insufficient recovery of materials from used batteries. Therefore, the Commission has scheduled a revision of the legal framework.