France’s end-of-life vehicle (ELV) sector is rapidly evolving into one of Europe’s most structured, transparent, and collaborative systems. This was evident during the International Roundtable on Auto Recycling (IRT) webinar held on October 30, 2025, which featured two presentations providing a comprehensive overview of France’s approach to extended producer responsibility (EPR) and the expanding market for certified reused parts.
The session was led by Vincent Griffon, Partnership Manager at Recycle Mon Véhicule (RMV), and Claire Leschowski, environmental law consultant and project lead on the SRA “Recycleur Vertueux” certification label. Together, their presentations painted a picture of an industry embracing traceability, professionalism, and cooperation between recyclers, insurers, and manufacturers.
Building a citizen-oriented ELV system
Griffon’s presentation, ELV EPR in France, outlined the defining features of France’s new producer responsibility scheme. RMV, approved by the French government in 2024, represents 58 producers and 91 brands and manages a network of 1,000 authorised treatment facilities (ATFs), including 200 equipped for electric vehicles and 10 located in overseas territories.
What sets the French EPR system apart is its citizen-focused design. End-of-life vehicles can be collected directly from owners’ homes free of charge, removing logistical barriers for the public. RMV also provides incentives to recover abandoned or disaster-damaged vehicles, including a “take-back bonus” for remote territories such as Guadeloupe and Réunion, where illegal dumping has been a persistent issue.
The system’s reach is extensive: 1,700 ATFs operate nationally, supported by 60 shredders that handle metal, plastic, and glass recovery. RMV’s own figures show that over 1 million ELVs were officially dismantled and recycled in 2023, compared to 1.77 million new vehicle sales, generating €800 million in turnover from certified used parts and supporting 15,000 jobs.
Griffon highlighted how some modern French dismantlers resemble “mini car factories,” with industrial-scale dismantling, digital cataloguing, and logistics operations that allow for real-time traceability and online sale of certified reused parts. This maturity, he said, has helped France exceed EU recycling and recovery targets since 2019, positioning the nation as a model for the European auto recycling industry.
Tackling illegal dismantling and digital traceability
Despite this progress, the sector faces a familiar challenge: illegal dismantling. Unauthorised operators, often selling through online marketplaces, undermine both environmental integrity and legitimate recyclers. They bypass depollution standards, avoid taxes, and flood the market with unsafe, untraceable parts.
France’s government has introduced new obligations for online marketplaces under Article L.541-10-9 of the Environmental Code. Platforms must verify that sellers hold a valid Unique Identification Number (UIN) for all EPR-regulated products they list and possess an ICPE environmental permit.
RMV and its partners are also advocating that marketplaces reclassify “power sellers”, those offering more than 50 used parts per year, as professional traders, ensuring they meet the same compliance and traceability requirements as authorised dismantlers.
These combined measures aim to extend environmental oversight into the digital marketplace, closing loopholes that have enabled illegal trade and improving confidence in the supply chain for reused parts.
“Recycleur Vertueux” – certifying trust in green parts
In the webinar’s second half, Claire Leschowski introduced a collaborative project that reflects the same drive for professionalisation at the parts level. Developed with SRA, an insurance-sector association, the “Recycleur Vertueux” (Virtuous Recycler) certification label is designed to build a full-chain approach linking ATFs, insurers, repairers, and consumers.
The label evaluates ATFs on two main blocks:
- Parts Quality and Traceability – including dismantling procedures, inspection protocols, photography, classification into four condition levels (very good, good, fair, non-functional), and a minimum two-year warranty for certified parts.
- Environmental Commitments – assessing how ATFs handle collection, depollution, storage, and broader sustainability initiatives.
Every certified centre will be audited annually by an independent third-party organisation, such as DEKRA or SGS. The first launch is planned for early 2026, following trials with six volunteer ATFs.
Leschowski emphasised that the standard is dynamic and will evolve to include more robust requirements for EV and hybrid vehicles, with proof of technician training and site capability already required at the entry level.
The European context
France’s initiatives align closely with the European Commission’s new Vehicle Regulation proposal, which strengthens rules on reuse, traceability, and consumer protection. Articles 31–33 introduce mandatory labelling, warranties, and proof of authorised origin for reused and remanufactured parts, covering both offline and online sales. They also propose economic incentives such as reduced VAT rates and require repairers to offer customers the choice of “green parts” alongside new ones, an obligation already in place in France.
While the EU text still evolves, France’s EPR and certification frameworks have already pre-empted many of its ambitions, setting the benchmark for other member states.
A model worth studying
The webinar concluded with a clear message: France’s circular approach to vehicle recycling works because it blends policy, enforcement, and industry collaboration. With a maturing EPR scheme, tightening digital oversight, and a forthcoming national certification for reused parts, France is not just complying with EU goals; it is defining them.
For recyclers, insurers, and manufacturers worldwide, France’s model demonstrates that transparency, professionalism, and consumer trust are the real engines of a sustainable auto recycling economy.
For further information about the webinar, go to www.irt-autorecycling.org
