Battery Regulation
Battery Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 that replaces the first Battery Directive 2006/66/EC was published in July 2023. The new regulation is applicable since 18 February 2024, but there are more deadlines. Below is an overview of the deadlines by battery category and type of requirement.
Battery categories
An initial distinction can be made between portable, industrial and automotive batteries; but there are variations within these three groups. The battery regulation distinguishes (at least) between the following categories or applications, each represented by a column in the deadline tables.
If batteries can belong to more than one category, then the earliest deadline applies.
| CATEGORY | DESCRIPTION |
| Portable
(POR) |
Batteries that weigh 5 kg or less (hence portable). Not (specifically) designed for industrial use, and not an EV, an LMT nor an SLI battery. |
| LMT | Light Means of Transport (LMT) battery weighs 25 kg or less. Designed to power or support the traction (electric motor) of wheeled vehicles, including type-approved vehicles of category L, and that is not an electric vehicle (EV) battery. |
| SLI | Starting, Lighting and Ignition (SLI) battery, the ‘regular’ automotive battery. Designed to supply electric power for starting, lighting, or ignition and that can also be used for auxiliary or backup purposes in vehicles, other means of transport or machinery. |
| EV | Electric Vehicle (EV) battery that weighs more than 25 kg (for category L, see LMT). Designed to provide electric power for traction in vehicles of categories L, M, N or O. |
| ESS | Stationary battery Energy Storage System (ESS), an industrial battery with internal storage that is specifically designed to store from and deliver electric energy to the grid or store for and deliver electric energy to end-users, regardless of where and by whom the battery is being used. |
| Industrial
(IND) |
Batteries specifically designed for industrial uses, or any other battery that weighs more than 5 kg and that is neither an EV, an LMT nor an SLI battery.
IND *) applies only to industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2 kWh. |
State of play
For the carbon footprint (Article 7) and recycled content (article 8) requirements involvement of a Notified Body is mandatory. No Notified Bodies have been appointed yet. This may result in an extension of the deadline as it applies 12 months after the date of the first publication of the list of notified bodies.
For a presumption of conformity harmonised standards will become available. No harmonised standards have been published yet.
Delegated and implementing acts shall be made available by the European Commission at least one year before the corresponding deadline expires. The same applies to some guidelines to be provided.
Deadlines
Article 6Hazardous substances |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| Restrictions for Mercury, Cadmium, Lead. | 18/2/2024 | |||||
Article 7Carbon footprint |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND *) |
| Carbon footprint declaration | N/A | 18/8/2028 | N/A | 18/2/2025 | 18/8/2030 | 18/2/2026 |
| Performance classification | N/A | 18/2/2030 | N/A | 18/8/2026 | 18/2/2032 | 18/8/2027 |
| Maximum lifecycle threshold | N/A | 18/8/2031 | N/A | 18/2/2028 | 18/8/2033 | 18/2/2029 |
Article 8Recycled content |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND *) |
| Document recycled content of cobalt, lead, lithium or nickel | N/A | 18/8/2033 | 18/8/2028 | 18/8/2028 | N/A | 18/8/2028 |
| Demonstrate recovery (phase I) | N/A | N/A | 18/8/2031 | 18/8/2031 | N/A | 18/8/2031 |
| Demonstrate recovery (phase II) | N/A | 18/8/2036 | 18/8/2036 | 18/8/2036 | N/A | 18/8/2036 |
Articles 9 and 10Performance & Durability |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND *) |
| Documentation | N/A | 18/8/2024 | N/A | 18/8/2024 | N/A | 18/8/2024 |
| Minimum criteria | 18/8/2028 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 18/8/2027 | |
By 31 December 2030 the Commission shall report about either the phase out of non-rechargeable portable batteries of general use or the setting of eco-design requirements.
Article 11 |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| Removability & Replaceability | 18/2/2027 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
Article 12 |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| Safety of stationary battery energy storage systems | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 18/8/2024 | N/A |
Article 13Labelling & Marking |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| General info (Annex VI-A) | 18/8/2026 | |||||
| Capacity (rechargeable) | 18/8/2026 | N/A | N/A | N/A | ||
| Average life (non-rechargeable) | 18/8/2026 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Collection symbol (Annex VI-B) | 18/8/2025 | |||||
| Chemical labelling (Cd, Pb) | 18/2/2024 | |||||
| QR code (Annex VI-C) | 18/2/2027 | |||||
Article 14 |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| State of health & lifetime | N/A | 18/8/2024 | N/A | 18/8/2024 | N/A | |
Article 18 |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| EU Declaration of Conformity | 18/8/2024 | |||||
Articles 19 and 20 |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| CE marking | 18/8/2024 | |||||
Article 77 |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND *) |
| Digital Battery Passport | N/A | 18/2/2027 | N/A | 18/2/2027 | N/A | 18/2/2027 |
Chapter VII |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| Due Diligence – net annual turnover above € 40 Million | 18/8/2025 18/8/2027 | |||||
Update July 2025: The deadline for due diligence obligations has been postponed until August 2027.
Chapter VIII |
POR |
LMT |
SLI |
EV |
ESS |
IND |
| Extended Producer Responsibility |
18/8/2025 |
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