Implementation rules and response strategies for the new EU battery regulations

With the rapid development and widespread application of battery technology, the European Union has formulated new battery regulations (2023/1542) aimed at improving the environmental and safety standards of battery products. The regulations include a series of requirements such as hazardous substance control, carbon footprint, CE conformity assessment, labeling requirements, due diligence, etc., and need to be implemented in stages. The following are the detailed contents and key points that need to be implemented on August 18, 2024, the first important time point of the upcoming new battery law:
1. Limit of harmful substances
The new EU regulations strictly restrict the use of harmful substances in batteries. Specific requirements include:

REACH regulation: The restricted substances listed in Annex 17 must be strictly complied with.

Directive 2000/53/EC on Scrap Vehicles: Lead ≤ 0.1%, Mercury ≤ 0.1%, Hexavalent Chromium ≤ 0.1%, Cadmium ≤ 0.01%.

Battery instructions: Mercury ≤ 0.0005%, cadmium ≤ 0.002% (portable batteries), lead ≤ 0.01% (portable batteries).
2. Electrochemical performance and durability
All rechargeable industrial batteries, electric vehicle batteries, and light vehicle batteries with a capacity greater than 2kWh are required to provide detailed electrochemical performance and durability parameter documents to demonstrate their compliance with EU standards.
3. Safety of Fixed Battery Energy Storage Systems
To ensure safety, fixed battery energy storage systems need to prepare safety technical documents that include the following:

Preventive signs (fire or explosion prevention).

Proof of testing to eliminate safety hazards.

Complete safety parameters, such as thermal shock and cycling, external short circuit protection, etc.

Assessment of safety hazards.

4. Labeling, Marking, and Information Requirements

All batteries must be clearly labeled with lead and cadmium content, and provide detailed parameters of health status and expected lifespan for fixed energy storage systems, LMT batteries, and EV batteries.

5. Battery management system

Starting from August 18, 2024, all fixed energy storage systems, LMT batteries, and electric vehicle batteries must be equipped with a battery management system that can store and provide critical data on battery health and expected lifespan.

6. CE conformity assessment procedure

All battery products need to undergo CE certification, including:

Submit a declaration of conformity.

Prepare technical documents covering basic information about the enterprise and battery, production processes, performance/safety parameters, labels, etc.

Provide test reports.

In the later stage, battery companies also need to fulfill the following additional obligations:

Carbon footprint: Monitor and report carbon emissions during battery production and use.