EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation Takes Effect August 13, 2026

New End-of-Life Vehicle Regulation Enters Force

The European Commission announced on August 12 that the new End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Regulation enters into force on August 13, 2026. The EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation establishes requirements covering vehicle design, production, collection and end-of-life treatment across the European Union. The measures are intended to increase the recovery and reuse of valuable materials from vehicles after their operational life. They are also designed to support a more stable supply of secondary raw materials, helping reduce the European Union’s dependence on imported resources and strengthening the circular use of materials within the vehicle sector.

Recycled Material Targets for Future Vehicles

The regulation encourages vehicle designs that make dismantling, reuse, recycling and recovery easier, creating stronger requirements for material circularity throughout the automotive lifecycle. Mandatory recycled plastic content targets will require 15% recycled plastic in vehicles from 2032 and increase to 25% from 2036. The European Union will also establish recycled-content targets for steel and aluminium, with those requirements scheduled to apply from 2033. These measures are intended to increase demand for recovered materials and encourage manufacturers to consider recyclability and material recovery earlier in vehicle design and production.

Stronger Collection, Traceability and Critical Material Recovery

Further provisions strengthen the collection and traceability of vehicles reaching the end of their useful life. The regulation introduces additional measures to support higher recovery rates for critical raw materials contained in end-of-life vehicles, with particular attention to aluminium, copper and rare earth elements. These requirements are intended to improve the ability to recover valuable materials that can be returned to industrial supply chains rather than being lost through disposal. By strengthening collection and traceability across the European Union, the regulation also supports greater visibility over vehicles and materials as they move through end-of-life treatment processes.

New Rules for Vehicle Exports Outside the EU

The regulation also introduces a significant requirement affecting vehicles exported outside the European Union. From mid-2031, only roadworthy vehicles may be exported outside the EU. This provision is designed to prevent vehicles that have effectively reached the end of their usable life from being exported as operational vehicles, while supporting stronger control over end-of-life treatment. Combined with the new collection, traceability and material-recovery requirements, the measure extends the regulation’s impact beyond vehicle manufacturing and recycling within the European Union to the international movement of vehicles that could otherwise become end-of-life units.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation?
The EU End-of-Life Vehicles Regulation establishes new requirements for vehicle design, production, collection, recycling, recovery and end-of-life treatment, with the aim of increasing material circularity and reducing dependence on imported resources. It introduces mandatory recycled plastic content targets, future recycled-content requirements for steel and aluminium, stronger vehicle collection and traceability measures, and improved recovery of critical raw materials such as aluminium, copper and rare earth elements. From mid-2031, only roadworthy vehicles may also be exported outside the European Union.

When will the new recycled-content requirements apply?
The regulation sets mandatory recycled plastic content requirements of 15% from 2032 and 25% from 2036. In addition, recycled-content targets for steel and aluminium will be established by the European Commission and are expected to apply from 2033. These requirements are intended to increase the use of recovered materials in vehicle production and encourage manufacturers to improve recyclability, dismantling and material recovery during vehicle design. The measures form part of broader requirements intended to strengthen circular material flows across the European automotive sector.