The Batteries Regulation: what does it mean for my electric fleet?
Adopted 2026-06-16 · ≈ 1 min read · 
edited by Dirk Baaijen
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 sets rules for the whole battery lifecycle: carbon footprint, recycled content, recycling and due diligence. From 2027 a battery passport applies to EV batteries. What that means when you electrify.
Short answer: Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 replaces the old Batteries Directive and sets requirements across the entire battery lifecycle, including the traction batteries in your electric fleet. The main obligations fall on manufacturers and importers, but as a buyer you encounter them directly through passport data, sourcing and end-of-life arrangements.
What the regulation covers
The Batteries Regulation applies to almost all batteries on the EU market and sets requirements across the full lifecycle. The key elements are:
- Carbon footprint: for EV and industrial batteries, among others, a mandatory carbon footprint declaration is being introduced.
- Recycled content: a minimum share of recycled raw materials (such as cobalt, lithium and nickel) will apply.
- Performance and durability: requirements for battery lifespan and performance.
- Removability and replaceability: batteries must be easier to remove and replace.
- Collection and recycling: stricter targets for collecting and recovering materials.
- Due diligence: supply-chain checks on the origin of raw materials.
The obligations take effect in phases; not everything applies at the same time.
The battery passport from 2027
From 2027 a digital battery passport applies to traction and industrial batteries, among others. The passport holds data on composition, origin, carbon footprint, performance and end-of-life information, accessible via a QR code. For your fleet this means that batteries you acquire after that date come with transparent and verifiable data.
What this means for your fleet
The heaviest obligations sit with producers and importers, not the user. Even so, when you electrify it is wise to take this into account:
- At purchase: ask for the passport data, the carbon footprint declaration and the battery's origin.
- Sourcing: chains with demonstrable due diligence reduce your reputational and supply risk.
- End of life: agree who is responsible for take-back, reuse and recycling of spent batteries.
That way you use the regulation as a quality and sustainability test when switching to electric.
Read more: the Transport & Logistics overview. Take the scan.
Sources
- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj
Regulation (EU) 2023/1542: batteries and waste batteries.
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