⚡️New EU Battery Regulation

Written By Camilla Feldschau Petersen

Batteries power our everyday lives — from smartphones and power tools to e-bikes and EVs. But battery production and disposal come with a cost: extracting raw materials like lithium and cobalt strains ecosystems, and too many batteries aren’t recycled properly.

To tackle this, the EU has introduced a new law:
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 – the EU Battery Regulation.

It replaces the old Battery Directive and applies directly across all EU countries, setting common rules for how batteries must be designed, labelled, reported — and recycled.


Why the regulation matters

The new regulation aims to:

  • Reduce harmful substances in batteries

  • Use raw materials more efficiently

  • Improve transparency on content and origin

  • Ensure longer battery life and better performance


Key changes

1. Producer responsibility (From 2025)

Companies must register and report more battery types.
Powerbanks are now officially classified as portable batteries and must be managed as such from August 2025.

2. Labelling requirements (From 2026)

All batteries and battery-powered products must show:

  • Capacity

  • Weight

  • Chemical composition

3. Battery passport (From 2027)

Larger batteries must include a digital passport (via QR code) with traceability and product data.

4. Supply chain due diligence (From 2027)

Large companies must prove they source raw materials responsibly, verified by an independent third party.

5. New battery categories

Battery types are now grouped into five categories:

  • Portable batteries (including powerbanks)

  • EV batteries

  • Industrial batteries (with a subcategory for energy storage)

  • LMT batteries (for e-bikes, e-scooters, etc.)

  • SLI batteries (Start, Lighting, Ignition)

6. Higher recycling targets

  • Now: 50% recycling by weight

  • 2026: 65% for lithium-ion batteries

  • 2031: 70%

  • Material-specific targets apply (lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, lead)
    ➤ e.g. Lithium recycling must increase from 35% (2026) to 70% (2030)


Our responsibility
We are members of Batteriretur, a collective compliance scheme.

This means that we:
…are registered with the Danish Producer Responsibility (DPA)
…handle all batteries – including powerbanks – in line with the new rules


Then vs. Now

Before

  • Reporting mainly covered AA/AAA batteries

  • Producer responsibility varied

  • Fewer categories

  • Recycling targets were lower

Now

  • Powerbanks are clearly defined as portable batteries

  • Clear, stricter rules apply across all of the EU

  • Five well-defined battery types

  • Higher rates + material-specific goals

Summary
The new EU Battery Regulation is a major step toward circular, transparent battery use in Europe. It affects all companies that produce, import, or sell battery-powered products — so staying informed and compliant is essential.

We’re already aligned with the new requirements — and ready to help if you need guidance.


References:
Batteribekendtgørelsen
Producentansvar for batterier | Batteriretur hjælper dig i mål

Camilla Feldschau Petersen

Sustainability & Compliance Manager

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