New battery regulation: EU simplifies the replacement of rechargeable batteries
15.6.2023
Translation: machine translated
The European Parliament adopted a new Battery Directive on Wednesday, 14 June 2023. Among other things, this will prohibit permanently installed device batteries.
You probably know the problem: The battery of one of your devices is broken or the power is running low, so the only thing left to do is dispose of it. And all because the battery is permanently installed. This should now be a thing of the past. The European Parliament has decided this in the new battery regulation.
After a transitional period of 42 months, device batteries must in future be designed in such a way that you as a consumer can easily remove and replace them yourself. Without having to dispose of the entire device. Currently, this is often not the case. Many batteries are so glued to a product that the devices break when they are replaced.
However, the law also contains exceptions. As a consumer, you will not be able to remove the battery from your e-car yourself, but it must at least be possible for specialised personnel in a garage to do so. The same applies to e-bikes or e-scooters. There is a similar exception for devices that have been designed for a damp environment or are washable. Even then, the battery must be replaced by specialised personnel. Whether and how this loophole will be exploited by manufacturers is not yet foreseeable.
Smartphones and tablets
In November last year, the European Commission and the EU member states established the ecodesign rules for smartphones and tablets. This gives manufacturers the choice. They can either design their products so that the battery used is replaceable or they can install the battery permanently. But under the following conditions: It must still have at least 83 or 80 per cent of its capacity after 500 charging cycles or 1,000 charging cycles respectively. Smartphones must also be dustproof and waterproof.
In addition, the European Union has enshrined further regulations in the new Battery Regulation, such as targets for the collection of waste batteries. Certain minimum quantities of recovered materials such as lead, cobalt, copper, lithium and nickel have also been agreed. In addition, a digital battery passport will be mandatory for all batteries with a capacity of more than two kilowatt hours. You can call up the passport via QR code and obtain information on the chemical composition, social and ecological production conditions and numerous other technical data on the battery, such as the service life or charging capacity.
What happens next?
Approval by the Council of Ministers is considered a mere formality and should take place in the summer. The battery regulation will then be finalised and enter into force following its publication in the EU Official Journal. Such a regulation will then apply immediately, but each EU country must then implement it according to its own specifications and adapt its national laws. Conversely, this means that the European Union sets minimum standards, but each country can also interpret these more strictly for itself. These differences in national legislation make it more difficult for companies, especially with regard to logistics.
Cover photo: wk1003mike/Shutterstock
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