EU Elections: EUROBAT requests strong leadership from the EU institutions, safeguarding the EU battery industry and contributing to the decarbonisation of society

Next EP and Commission term will be crucial for both Europe and the industry, requiring swift action by EU legislators

Following yesterday’s EU Parliament elections, EUROBAT, the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Batteries Manufacturers, is looking forward to a constructive relationship with the newly elected and current MEPs, as well as with the new College of Commissioners later this year.

The next term will be decisive from an EU policy-making perspective – for both Europe and the battery industry – with the European institutions having to define the future EU legislative framework for batteries.

Given the forecasted growth of battery development and manufacturing in the next few years in mobility applications, stationary energy storage, telecommunication – all key sectors for Europe’s decarbonisation agenda - EUROBAT calls for swift action by EU legislators.

As one of the priorities, EUROBAT emphasises the need for strong Commission leadership. European battery manufacturers and the whole battery value chain need a ‘Battery Commissioner’, who provides clear policy and political direction from top level.

This Commissioner should focus on the further development of an industry blueprint for all types of battery technologies, following the work of the European Battery Alliance and the Battery Action plan, in order to transform Europe into a world leader in batteries.

That will indeed be the prerequisite for a favourable environment in which the European battery industry can flourish, deliver growth, room for innovation and increased employment, while at the same time unlocking the full decarbonisation potential of batteries.

However, as a first priority, EUROBAT calls on the future College of Commissioners, taking office in autumn, and on the Commission services, to quickly develop and present legislative proposals for the revised Battery and End-of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directives. European battery manufacturers need a clear and up-to-date legal framework and certainty; all required to plan and approve future investments. In this regard, proposals on Battery and ELV Directives should be presented as a package, as both Directives are key building blocks of the legislative framework for batteries and include batteries in their scope.

The revision of these Directives provides the opportunity to solve the overlaps between both Directives and make the Batteries Directive the central piece of EU legislation for batteries.

Overall, EUROBAT and its members believe that for the 2019-2024 legislative term the focus of EU legislators should include:

1. Recognition and promotion of the key role played by all battery technologies in the decarbonisation of our mobility and energy systems.
2. Promotion and stimulation of battery manufacturing in Europe, ensuring a stable business environment and fair competition among technologies.
3. Creation of a coherent and supportive regulatory framework for sustainable batteries, in line with the principles of circular economy and wider EU decarbonisation objectives.

The list of key asks to policy makers is included in our “Election Manifesto 2019-2024”, which can be downloaded here.