The European Union approved a regulation that will require new vehicles to contain at least 15% recycled plastic starting in 2032, rising to 25% by 2036, with at least 20% of the recycled content sourced from end-of-life vehicles or parts to support a closed-loop system.

The rule emphasizes recovery and traceability of materials from end-of-life vehicles to curb illegal dismantling, abandonment, and exports masked as second-hand sales.

From 2033 onward, targets for recycled steel, aluminum, magnesium, and critical raw materials will be assessed and potentially set as the industry shifts away from virgin materials.

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Owners will eventually be able to hand over a complete end-of-life vehicle to an authorized facility free of charge, with possible fees if major parts were removed without proper documentation.

When selling, businesses must provide documentation proving a vehicle’s technical inspection or that it is not waste; private-party sales are largely exempt unless the car is deemed economically unrepairable or sold purely online without a handover.

New cooperation measures will boost collaboration between producers and waste-management operators and improve information on component removal during use and at end-of-life.

Manufacturers must provide detailed dismantling instructions and facilitate disassembly during use and at end of life to aid recycling and reuse.

The framework is expected to create new business opportunities and increase the availability of spare parts for the second-hand market through higher recycling and reuse.

Authorized facilities will issue electronic destruction certificates to enable deregistration and improve vehicle tracking, clarifying when damaged or abandoned vehicles become waste and cannot be resold.

A two-year grace period applies to main provisions to curb non-usable car sales and illegal exports while easing the burden on private sellers.

Stakeholders split: some warn against costly expansion to metals without clear gains, while others say the final text is politically compromised by industry influence.