EU delays battery due diligence requirement

The European Council has approved a law postponing implementation of due diligence obligations until Aug. 18, 2027, to give battery producers and exporters more time to prepare for its adoption.

From ESS News

The European Council urged all EU institutions, member states, and stakeholders in October 2024 to prioritize addressing the challenges identified in the “Much more than a market” report by Enrico Letta and the “The future of European competitiveness” study by Mario Draghi. As a result, the Omnibus IV legislative package was adopted as part of an EU effort to support industrial competitiveness and reduce regulatory complexity.

One such bureaucratic measure is Regulation 2023/1542 on Batteries, which had required battery producers to establish due diligence policies and have batteries verified and subject to regular audits by third-parties.

Battery companies will have to report on due diligence practices, including waste management, to mitigate environmental impact and will face other obligations related to the supply, processing, and trade of cobalt, natural graphite, lithium, and nickel used in their products.

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