Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/606 of 21 March 2025 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council by establishing the methodology for calculation and verification of rates for recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries, and the format for the documentation

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,

Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 July 2023 concerning batteries and waste batteries, amending Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repealing Directive 2006/66/EC (1), and in particular Article 71(4) thereof,

Whereas:

(1) Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 lays out requirements for recyclers to ensure that they reach targets for recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries. The Commission is required to draw up the methodology for calculating and verifying rates of recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries, and the format for documentation, in line with those requirements. This is necessary to create a harmonised regulatory framework covering the entire life cycle of batteries that are placed on the market in the Union, including the management of waste batteries.

(2) The methodology should ensure a high quality of recovery of materials for the battery industry. At the same time, it should not distort competition or otherwise impede the smooth functioning of the internal market for secondary raw materials from waste batteries, while promoting research and innovation in that fast-expanding and developing market. It is necessary to consider and build on the methodology established under Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (2) to properly reflect technological developments and changes in battery recycling and recovery processes, extending their scope to cover existing and new battery chemistries.

(3) The methodology for calculating and verifying rates of recycling efficiency should detail the input and output fractions that can affect achieving the recycling efficiency targets in order to ensure a harmonised calculation of the achieved recycling efficiency.

(4) The methodology for calculating and verifying rates of recovery of materials should detail the input and output fractions that can affect recovery of materials targets and any further requirements on the quality of the recovered materials in order to ensure a harmonised calculation of the achieved recovery of materials.

(5) In order to ensure traceability, ensure fair application of the calculation rules and minimise adverse effects on human health or the environment, the format of the documentation regarding substances listed under point (5) and point (6) of Part A of Annex XII of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 should include detailed requirements on how to document the treatment of substances into an identifiable stream within the battery recycling process.

(6) The method to be used when filling in documentation for calculating rates of recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries should be specified to ensure that data are consistent and uniform.

(7) The formats for documentation for rates of recycling efficiency and recovery of materials should be drawn up separately for lead-acid waste batteries, lithium-based batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries and other batteries to ensure that data are relevant and specific to the different battery chemistries.

(8) In order to ensure consistent and harmonised application, the methodology for verifying rates of recycling efficiency and recovery of materials should set out, as a minimum, what the verification is to cover, and which verification techniques are to be applied,

HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:

Article 1

The methodology for calculation and verification of rates for recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries, and the format for the documentation on recycling efficiency and recovery of materials from waste batteries and on the destination and yield of the final output fractions, are laid down in the Annex.

Article 2

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.

Done at Brussels, 21 March 2025.

For the Commission The President Ursula VON DER LEYEN

(1) OJ L 191, 28.7.2023, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2023/1542/oj.

(2) Directive 2006/66/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 6 September 2006 on batteries and accumulators and waste batteries and accumulators and repealing Directive 91/157/EEC (OJ L 266, 26.9.2006, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/dir/2006/66/oj).