EU: Amendments to End-of-Life Vehicle Directive
The EU has published a draft Commission Delegated Directive amending Directive 2000/53/EC (aka End-of-Life Vehicle Directive) as regards the exemptions for the use of lead in aluminium alloys for machining purposes, in copper alloys and in certain batteries.
The draft Directive adapts to scientific and technical progress the list of materials and components, which are exempt from the prohibition of the use of lead in materials, and components of vehicles put on the market after 1 July 2003. The draft Directive amends exemptions 2(c)(i) on aluminium alloys for machining purposes with a lead content up to 0.4% by weight, 3 on copper alloys containing up to 4% lead by weight and 5(b) on lead in batteries for certain battery applications as specified in entries 5(b)(i) and 5(b)(ii) of Annex II to the End-of-life vehicles (ELV) Directive (Directive 2000/53/EC).
Basically, pursuant to Article 4(2), point (a), of Directive 2000/53/EC, Member States are to ensure that materials and components of vehicles put on the market after 1 July 2003 do not contain lead, mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium.
However, annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC lists vehicle materials and components that are exempt from the prohibition pursuant to Article 4(2), point (a), thereof.
The Commission assessed the exemption set out in entry 2(c)(i) of Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC regarding aluminium alloys for machining purposes in view of technical and scientific progress. This assessment led to the conclusion that there are suitable alternatives available, but that a transitional period is needed to replace the use of lead in all the materials and components covered by that exemption. The use of lead in the materials and components concerned, including lead in wrought aluminium,could be phased out by the end of 2027. It is therefore appropriate to provide for an expiry date for that exemption.