Recently, committees of the European Parliament agreed on a position paper for the new “Directive on end-of-life vehicles” (ELV) and the use of plastic recyclates in vehicles
Parliament’s forthcoming approval is expected to be largely procedural. The European Council had already issued its stance on the ELA reform on 17 June.
The two bodies have mostly aligned on content but must finalize details with the EU Commission. A parliamentary spokeswoman indicated talks may start this autumn, and the directive could take effect by mid-2026. Unlike before, the new ELV will apply directly across the EU without needing national implementation.
Parliament states that within six years of the regulation taking effect, at least 20% of plastics in vehicles must come from post-consumer recyclates. With 6 million tonnes of plastics used in EU vehicle parts annually, this target equals about 1.2 million tonnes.
Of course, this figure for recycled content could also include polymer bound rubber components, enhancing the opportunities for tyre derived materials to be recycled in the automotive sector.
