Spain’s ELV sector is preparing for the new EU Regulation by focusing on traceability, dismantling rules, data access and practical implementation. SIGRAUTO’s meeting showed broad support for circularity, but recyclers warned that secondary legislation must protect Spain’s effective CAT model while creating workable opportunities in reuse, plastics recovery and material quality.
More than 400 delegates attended SIGRAUTO’s 11th National Meeting on the Management and Recycling of End-of-Life Vehicles, where the focus was firmly on the new European ELV Regulation and what its implementation will mean for authorised treatment centres, recyclers, shredders, manufacturers and public authorities in Spain.
Held on 9 June during the International Recovery and Recycling Fair, SRR 2026, the meeting brought together around 400 participants, mainly from authorised treatment centres, known in Spain as CATs, alongside vehicle manufacturers and importers, shredders, recyclers and wider sector stakeholders.
SIGRAUTO President Ernesto Salas opened the event by underlining the association’s role as a meeting point for dialogue and consensus between sectors. He said Spain enters the implementation phase of the new European Regulation from a strong position, built on years of collaboration between industry and public administrations.
A key theme throughout the meeting was how Spain’s existing ELV system can adapt to the new European framework without losing the strengths that have already made it one of the more advanced models in Europe.
José Luis Gata of Solera opened with an overview of Spain’s vehicle parc, which is expected to reach around 30 million vehicles in 2026. Diesel vehicles still represent a high share of the parc, while vehicle ageing is expected to continue. For recyclers and CATs, this points to ongoing demand for repair and reused parts, but also a need to respond to changes brought by electrification and circular economy expectations.
Jaco Huisman of the European Commission’s DG Environment outlined the status of the new ELV Regulation, which is expected to move from final approval into publication and implementation. He highlighted its main areas: a broader vehicle scope, stronger design and information requirements, recycled-content targets, extended producer responsibility, improved collection and treatment, export controls and measures to tackle illegal practices.
For Spanish recyclers, the next phase will be critical. The Regulation will require detailed secondary legislation and technical work to define how obligations are applied in practice. This includes dismantling requirements, circularity information, digital passports, producer responsibility and treatment standards.
Representatives from the DGT, Ministry of Industry, ANFAC, AEDRA and FER discussed what changes in Spain. The DGT pointed to Spain’s existing measures on missing vehicles and export control, while also highlighting future improvements around total loss vehicles and better information access for authorised treatment centres.
AEDRA stressed the importance of preserving the professionalism and traceability of Spain’s CAT network. Its concerns centred on how producer-CAT contracts are designed, whether mandatory extraction requirements create costs without recovery routes, and the need for a sectoral working group to support implementation.
FER welcomed circularity measures such as recycled-plastic content, digital circularity passports and better manufacturer information, but warned that some metal-quality and pre-shredding requirements could create additional costs without proportional environmental benefit.
The meeting also considered new sectors brought into scope by the Regulation, including commercial vehicles and motorcycles. Speakers from IVECO and ANESDOR highlighted the practical complexity of applying ELV rules to multi-stage commercial vehicles and Category L vehicles, where the value chain and technical conditions differ from passenger cars.
Other presentations focused on the role of inspections, insurance, total loss vehicles, plastics recycling and traceability. A recurring message was that implementation must be pragmatic, proportionate and adapted to real operational conditions.
For vehicle recyclers, the meeting reinforced three immediate priorities: maintain strong traceability, prepare for more detailed dismantling and information requirements, and engage early in national implementation discussions. The Regulation is likely to create opportunities around reused parts, plastics recovery and higher-quality material streams, but only if the rules support viable recycling operations.
The event also hosted the 5th SIGRAUTO Awards for Innovation in Recovery, recognising projects in lithium-ion battery recycling, composite recovery, tyre reuse, circular spare parts and ELV plastics recovery.
Closing the meeting, Salas called for a formal Dialogue Table to organise technical work and move towards a new Framework Agreement in Spain. His message was clear: Spain has a strong ELV foundation, but coordinated implementation will be essential to preserve system efficiency, strengthen traceability and support the circular economy.
To read the full SIGRAUTO article and event summary, visit www.sigrauto.com
Further Reading on Auto Recycling World
- Spain’s ELV Model Faces A Turning Point
- Circular Economy Commissioner Explores ELV Processes
- AEDRA Leads Crucial Dialogue On Future European Regulations For Vehicle Recycling At Motortec 2025
- Professionalising Reuse In Spain’s ELV Sector
