Overview
Batteries are an indispensable energy source. They are also a key technology in the transition to climate neutrality and to a more circular economy.
Global demand for batteries is increasing rapidly and is set to increase 14 times by 2030. The EU could account for 17% of that demand.
The EU wants to minimise the environmental impact of this exponential growth in light of new socioeconomic conditions, technological developments, markets, and battery uses, while strengthening the EU’s strategic autonomy.
The EU Framework on Batteries regulates the entire lifecycle of batteries — from material extraction and design to consumption, second-life reuse, and recycling. Governed by Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, the framework establishes harmonised rules for all batteries placed on the EU market, regardless of their origin, composition, or whether they are sold separately or incorporated into products or vehicles.
Covering five distinct categories — portable batteries, light means of transport (LMT) batteries (e-bikes/e-scooters), electric vehicle (EV) batteries, industrial batteries, and starting, lighting, and ignition (SLI) batteries — the regulation sets binding requirements for sustainability, safety, labelling, supply chain due diligence, and end-of-life management.
Why do we have this law?
Batteries are a foundational technology for Europe's transition to a climate-neutral economy, driving the electrification of transport and renewable energy storage. However, the exponential surge in battery production presents severe resource, environmental, and social challenges:
- Resource reliance and supply security: Battery manufacturing depends heavily on critical raw materials — such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and natural graphite — whose extraction is concentrated in a few non-EU nations, exposing Europe to supply chain vulnerabilities.
- Environmental and social footprints: The mining and processing of raw materials carry high carbon footprints and risk causing local water pollution, deforestation, and human rights violations if not managed responsibly.
- Hazardous waste risks: Improper disposal of end-of-life batteries releases toxic heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) into soil and water bodies, while uncollected lithium-ion batteries present serious fire hazards in municipal waste streams.
By setting mandatory rules across the supply chain, the EU ensures that battery market expansion occurs under sustainable, safe, and socially responsible conditions.
Alignment with other EU policies
The Batteries Regulation acts as a comprehensive product safety and circularity framework that intersects directly with key European environmental and market laws. On raw materials and chemical safety, it complements the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and restrictions under the REACH Regulation.
On product design and end-of-life management, it operates in tandem with the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), the Waste Framework Directive, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, and rules governing End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV).
Strategic basis
At the strategic level, modernising battery rules is a cornerstone deliverable under the European Green Deal, the Circular Economy Action Plan, and the Zero Pollution Action Plan.
The framework directly supports the EU Industrial Strategy by fostering a competitive, sustainable domestic battery value chain, bolstering European technological leadership, and strengthening strategic autonomy in critical clean technology components.
Legislation: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 concerning batteries and waste batteries
Status: In force since 17 August 2023
Application date: 18 February 2024
