Proposal for a REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 as regards obligations of economic operators concerning battery due diligence policies

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Proposal for a Brussels, 21.5.2025 COM(2025) 258 final 2025/0129 (COD) REGULATION OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL amending Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 as regards obligations of economic operators concerning battery due diligence policies (Text with EEA relevance) EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM 1. CONTEXT OF THE PROPOSAL • Reasons for and objectives of the proposal Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 (1) aims to contribute to the efficient functioning of the internal market, while preventing and reducing the adverse impacts of batteries on the environment. It also aims to protect the environment and human health by preventing and reducing the adverse impacts of the generation and management of waste batteries. It imposes among other things battery due diligence obligations on economic operators placing batteries on the market or putting them into service. These obligations are to be applied from 18 August 2025. Battery raw material supply chains are affected by a shifting geopolitical landscape. This leaves the battery industry with many challenges in particular related to sourcing raw materials. It takes time to analyse and adjust supply chains. Furthermore, one of the battery due diligence obligations is that economic operators’ battery due diligence policies are verified by a notified body (‘third-party verification’). Only about half of the Member States have appointed their notifying authority in charge of the assessment,...