European automotive news has a new surprise in store for motorists... and it's not one that's going to help ease prices. While the cost of new cars has risen steadily in recent years, the European Union has just validated a new regulation that will, once again, weigh directly on the final bill paid by customers. This time, the subject is neither CO₂ emissions nor the electrification of the car fleet, but one in the way cars will have to be designed, produced and recycled.
A new rule stemming from the "ELV" regulations
In Brussels, negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council reached agreement on the new "End-of-Life Vehicles" (ELV) regulation, which governs the entire lifecycle of automobiles, from design to end-of-life. The objective is clear: to move the European automotive industry towards a circular economy model. In concrete terms, manufacturers will have to design vehicles that are easier to dismantle, repair and recycle, while integrating an increasing proportion of recycled materials into the production of new cars.
25 % of recycled plastic in new cars
The most emblematic measure of this new standard concerns the use of plastic. Within ten years of the regulation coming into force, new cars sold in Europe will have to contain at least 25 % of recycled plastic. An intermediate stage is also planned: six years after application of the text, this rate will already have to reach 15 %. An additional constraint has been added to this target: a proportion of this recycled plastic must come from end-of-life vehicles or parts from dismantled vehicles. The European Union's aim is to prevent manufacturers from simply importing recycled plastic without setting up a genuine internal recycling network.
Why this measure will drive up prices
On paper, the intention is laudable. In industrial reality, it poses a major problem: recycled plastic costs more than virgin plastic. Contrary to popular belief, recycling is neither simple nor cheap. Collecting, sorting, transporting, cleaning and processing used plastics generate significant additional costs. Conversely, new plastic still benefits from relatively competitive prices, strongly linked to fluctuations in the oil market. For manufacturers, this new obligation means a mechanical increase in production costs. And as is often the case in the automotive industry, these costs will not be absorbed by the brands, but passed on in the final selling price.
ELV regulations are not limited to plastics. It also requires manufacturers to provide precise instructions for the dismantling and replacement of parts, both during the life of the vehicle and when it is scrapped. The aim is to improve the recovery of strategic materials such as steel, aluminum, copper and certain rare earths. According to the European Commission, these new rules could enable several million tonnes of metals to be recycled each year, reducing Europe's dependence on imported raw materials.
The automotive industry still under pressure
While the European Commission, through Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall, defends this regulation as an essential lever for Europe's competitiveness and resilience, not everyone is convinced. Some environmental NGOs believe that the final text has been largely watered down under pressure from the automotive industry. They point in particular to the postponement of the target of 25 % of recycled plastic to ten years, deemed too late, and the priority given to recycling rather than durability, repair or vehicle downsizing.
One thing is certain: this new European standard will not be neutral for buyers. After anti-pollution standards, massive investment in electrification and the forced upgrading of vehicles, the transition to a circular economy adds another layer of constraints. For European motorists, particularly in countries where access to new cars has already become difficult, these regulations risk widening the gap between the European Union's ecological ambitions and the economic reality on the ground.
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Ja was jetzt, Recycling oder Nachhaltigkeit, Recycling ist doch Nachhaltigkeit,was für ein Depp hat diese Reportage geschrieben,ich wehre mich einfach gegen die fortschreitende verblödung meines heimatvolkes
Ich bin der Idiot!
Um es genauer zu sagen: Es handelt sich um Materialien, die entweder besser recycelbar oder nachhaltiger sind. Wenn Sie eine bessere Definition wünschen, wenden Sie sich bitte an die Europäische Union, anstatt den Boten zu beschimpfen!