The European Parliament and Council has reached a provisional agreement on groundbreaking rules aimed at making the entire vehicle lifecycle—from design to end-of-life—more sustainable.
The deal sets ambitious targets to improve vehicle design and increase the use of recycled materials. Under the draft, all new vehicles must be designed for easy dismantling by authorised treatment facilities.
Plastic content requirements are set at a minimum of 15% recycled material within six years and 25% within ten, with 20% of that coming from recycled parts sourced from end-of-life vehicles or components removed during the vehicle’s use phase.
The agreement also paves the way for targets on recycled steel and aluminium, to be introduced two years after the rules take effect, with feasibility studies planned for potential targets on critical raw materials.
The deal eases administrative burdens for citizens while regulating used vehicle transfers. Economic operators selling vehicles will need to provide either a roadworthiness certificate or proof the vehicle is not an end-of-life vehicle (ELV). Private sellers will only need documentation if the vehicle is a total economic loss or sold entirely online.
Three years after implementation, manufacturers will face extended producer responsibility, covering costs for the collection and treatment of ELVs. Mandatory removal of hazardous parts, fluids, and substances before shredding will be enforced, while national authorities will establish inspection strategies to catch illegal collection, treatment, or export activities.
Negotiators agreed to ban the export of non-roadworthy vehicles five years after the rules take effect. The deal also clarifies when a used vehicle qualifies as an ELV and specifies documentation requirements for customs authorities.
Co-rapporteurs Jens Gieseke (EPP, DE) and Paulius Saudargas (EPP, LT) said: "We are taking important steps to boost the automotive sector’s transition to a circular economy. We are advancing resource security, protecting the environment, and ensuring sustainability. To avoid overburdening the industry, we secured realistic targets and ensured less red tape and fairer competition."
The provisional agreement still requires approval from both Parliament and Council before the rules can enter into force.
