EnvironmentEU: Planned revision of the end-of-life vehicles directive

September 23, 20230

EU: Planned revision of the end-of-life vehicles directive

 

The EU Commission has initiated a regulatory effort to jointly review two key directives: Directive 2000/53/EC, commonly known as the ‘ELV Directive,’ which addresses the environmentally responsible treatment of end-of-life vehicles and Directive 2005/64/EC, referred to as the ‘3R type-approval Directive,’ which links vehicle type-approval with reusability, recyclability, and recoverability criteria. The original ELV Directive from 2000 established a standardized framework within the EU to ensure the eco-friendly handling of vehicles at the end of their life when they are considered waste. This directive includes rules for end-of-life vehicle (ELV) collection and depollution, restrictions on hazardous substances in new vehicles, and specific reuse and recycling targets (85%) and reuse and recovery targets (95%) based on the average weight of ELVs per vehicle per year. The 3R type-approval Directive, adopted in 2005, aligns the ELV Directive’s requirements with design specifications related to reusability, recyclability, and recoverability as part of the type-approval process.

The European Green Deal and the Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP) emphasized the need to amend these directives to facilitate the automotive industry’s transition to a circular economy. This shift aims to reduce the environmental impact of vehicle production and end-of-life handling while strengthening the sustainability of the European automotive and recycling sectors. To address these priorities, the new regulatory proposal focuses on four key challenges:

  1. The absence of circularity integration in vehicle design and production, leading to heavy reliance on primary raw materials.
  2. Suboptimal treatment of end-of-life vehicles, which could retain more environmental and economic value if handled differently.
  3. The insufficient collection of vehicles under the ELV Directive and the export of non-roadworthy and polluting used vehicles from the EU.
  4. Untapped circularity potential in vehicles currently not covered by the ELV Directive to align with the European Green Deal objectives.

The primary objective of the new regulation is to enhance the circular design of vehicles by mandating the incorporation of a minimum of 25% recycled plastic in the manufacturing process, with 25% of that derived from recycled ELVs. To achieve this, the regulation outlines specific circularity criteria for vehicle design and production.

Additionally, the regulations seek to improve the quality of raw materials, including critical raw materials (CRMs), plastics, steel, and aluminum. Several new measures are introduced, including manufacturers assuming financial responsibility for their vehicles at the waste stage, encouraging responsible disposal. The regulations also promote effective treatment procedures for end-of-life vehicles and offer incentives to recyclers to enhance the quality of their recycling processes. Moreover, the proposal has a long-term goal of gradually expanding its scope to include new categories such as motorcycles, trucks, and buses.

Currently, the proposal is in the public consultation phase until October 31, 2023, with an uncertain adoption date in the future.

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