Today, the European Parliament cast its vote on a critical piece of legislation aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of vehicles throughout their entire lifecycle, from design to disposal.
This vote comes as the European Commission advances a new Circular Economy Act, in a context of growing deregulation and a worsening waste crisis. Yet, the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) warns that the Parliament’s response falls short of the transformative action needed.
Circularity Undermined by Industry Influence
MEPs voted on the revision and merger of two outdated laws, the End-of-Life Vehicle Directive and the 3R Type-Approval Directive, into a new Regulation on Circularity Requirements for Vehicle Design and End-of-Life Management.
However, under pressure from the automotive industry, lawmakers significantly weakened the Commission’s original proposal. Instead of steering the sector toward real sustainability, the Parliament’s changes risk locking in the status quo.
Key shortcomings include:
- Failed to address unsustainable material use, ignoring the need for fewer and smaller vehicles;
- Prioritised recycling instead of more effective strategies such as durability, reuse, and repair;
- Failed to hold producers accountable for used vehicles exported to non-EU countries
Fynn Hauschke, Senior Policy Officer for Circular Economy & Waste at the EEB, said:
“EU lawmakers keep ignoring the core problem: the ever-increasing size and number of cars is driving up material use and environmental impact. Without tackling this trend – and requiring manufacturers to design vehicles to be durable and repairable from the outset – the regulation will not put the sector on a truly sustainable path.”
The file now moves into negotiations between the Parliament and EU Member States, where further changes could still be made.
Source: eeb.org
