End-of-life vehicles: Council cuts back burden, but plastics definition still raises concerns

The more feasible target, with a phase-in approach, is also a step in the right direction. However, pre-consumer waste has not been included in the definition of recycled plastic content. To effectively reduce primary raw material use and CO2 emissions, all sustainable materials should be considered, including pre-consumer recyclates, chemically recycled materials, and bio-based options.  

“The automotive industry is committed to delivering on the EU’s circular economy objectives,” said Sigrid de Vries, ACEA Director General. “But to succeed, the new end-of-life vehicle recycling rules must be technically feasible and supported by a coherent framework. Transforming end-of-life-vehicle recycling will not happen overnight, and Europe needs a policy framework that also effectively safeguards the competitiveness of our industry to enable investments into vital R&D into state-of-the-art recycling technologies.” 

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Associations (ACEA) welcome the Council’s move to partially reduce the administrative burden initially put forward by the Commission in the End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation proposal.