In recent months, the European Union has taken decisive steps to transform how end-of-life vehicles are managed . The new measures, promoted by the EU Council, aim to boost the circular economy in the automotive sector and reduce both waste generation and dependence on imported raw materials for the manufacture of cars and other vehicles.
The adoption of a common position on the future European regulation has reopened the debate about how materials from older vehicles should be manufactured, recycled, and reused. Furthermore, the aim is for manufacturers to assume greater responsibility from the moment a car leaves the factory until it is fully recycled, thus ensuring more efficient and sustainable management of all components.
Mandatory recycled content targets and eco-design
One of the most significant new developments is the establishment of minimum quotas for recycled plastic in new vehicles. According to the agreed targets, these percentages will be phased in: 15% recycled content after six years , rising to 20% after eight years, and reaching 25% after ten years from the date the regulations come into force. The European Commission may later assess whether to extend these requirements to other key materials such as steel, aluminum, or raw materials considered critical.
This decision affects a wider range of vehicles: cars, vans, heavy trucks, motorcycles, tricycles, quadricycles, and special vehicles —including ambulances, cranes, and fire trucks— must be easily disassembled to maximize material reuse and facilitate recycling. Furthermore, circular design and the circularity strategy must be applied by vehicle category , not on a model-by-model basis.
Control over the second-hand market and exports
The new regulations also introduce stricter rules to prevent vehicles that are no longer roadworthy from being exported or sold as if they were still usable. Now, in every change of ownership —especially through digital channels— it will be mandatory to demonstrate that the vehicle is not considered waste or has not reached the end of its useful life. This prevents the uncontrolled dispersal of vehicles in poor condition and reduces the possibility of them polluting outside the EU.
To strengthen controls, automated customs systems connected to the European MOVE-HUB platform will be implemented, facilitating the traceability and monitoring of vehicles in transit. This system already integrates national records and customs data, and it is expected that all countries will be able to continue using their own applications integrated into this platform.
Another key aspect of the regulation is extended producer responsibility (EPR), which will now be more stringent. Manufacturers will have to cover the costs of transporting and disposing of vehicles, including expenses related to abandonment or the lack of identification of the origin of some end-of-life cars. Even importers will have to bear these costs if they placed the vehicle on the European market.
Authorized treatment facilities (ATFs) will play a key role. Only these centers will be able to issue official certificates of destruction and will be responsible for the decontamination of vehicles by removing all hazardous components and polluting fluids within established timeframes. Regulations stipulate that vehicles must arrive at these centers within a maximum of 30 days after the end of their useful life, and mandatory contracts between collection points and ATFs will be required to ensure proper management.
Restrictions, environmental standards and circular economy
The new legislation prohibits mixing vehicles with other waste for shredding, unless strict quality levels and composition criteria are met for the recovered material. Furthermore, the recycled material counted towards these objectives must come from post-consumer waste processed in facilities that comply with EU environmental, climate, and health standards , whether located within the European Union or in equivalent third countries.
The text also provides for a digital circularity passport for each vehicle, facilitating transparency regarding materials, parts, and recycling processes. This innovation will be harmonized with other passports already implemented in EU legislation for various products.
Regarding governance, the regulations will promote the participation of the entire recycling chain, ensuring that both treatment centers and recyclers have a say in the oversight of extended responsibility systems and avoiding imbalances or unfair competition.
