As the European Union advances toward new regulations on vehicle eco-design and end-of-life management, the spotlight turns to France for inspiration. Vanessa Montagne, General Director of the French eco-organization, Recycler Mon Véhicule, explores how France’s pioneering Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, mandated by the 2020 Anti-Waste Law for a Circular Economy (AGEC), could serve as a blueprint for the rest of Europe. With its structured national network, high recycling and reuse rates, and strong collaboration between industry and public authorities, the French model offers a promising path forward for building a circular, sustainable future for the automotive sector.
The development of the European regulation on vehicle eco-design and end-of-life vehicle (ELV) management has entered a decisive phase. This regulation is expected to introduce an Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme. EU Member States are closely examining potential models to adopt. France stands out as a pioneer: the 2020 Anti-Waste Law for a Circular Economy (known as the AGEC Law) mandated the implementation of an EPR system for 2-, 3-, and 4-wheeled vehicles, which came into force in 2024. The French model could very well become the European standard, as it anticipates EU requirements and effectively addresses transparency, efficiency, quality, and circularity in ELV processing.
Recycler Mon Véhicule: Ensuring a Structured National System
Thanks to this new EPR system, for the first time, end-of-life vehicles are fully integrated into the value chain of the 2-, 3-, and 4-wheeled vehicle industry. This fosters collaboration between manufacturers and recyclers, with the goal of promoting reuse and recycling.
As part of this system, the mission of Recycler Mon Véhicule, the eco-organization approved by public authorities since April 2024, is to support producers of 2-, 3-, and 4-wheeled vehicles in their transition to a circular economy (eco-design, ELV management) and to assist ELV centers (CVHUs) in implementing regulatory requirements.
Each year, around 1.2 million vehicles reach the end of their life in France, the highest volume in Europe. The country’s 1,700 ELV centers are now required to contract with either an eco-organization or an individual system (IS). However, if they choose to work with a single IS, they can only process vehicles from brands covered by that system. On the other hand, by contracting with Recycler Mon Véhicule, as 820 centers have already done, they can handle all brands, simplifying administrative processes without limiting their activity.
Thanks to this structured network, France now exceeds a 95% rate for recycling and energy recovery, and reaches 11.6% for parts reuse. These results are supported by a high level of industrialization: modern treatment centers combine dismantling, depollution, storage, cataloging, and shipping of used parts. These centers are designed as industrial platforms dedicated to reuse and play a key role in developing a structured second-hand parts market.
Territorial Inclusiveness: A Cornerstone of the French Model
Supporting small centers in rural and peri-urban areas ensures fair national coverage. This network helps maintain a local, job-creating circular economy.
French specificities go even further, with features such as free at-home and abandoned vehicle collection, buy-back incentives in overseas territories, inclusion of 2- and 3-wheeled vehicles, quads, and unlicensed vehicles in the system, monitoring and support for ELV centers, and funding for R&D programs.
Recycler Mon Véhicule currently unites and supports 73 brands (vehicle manufacturers and importers) to help them meet their obligations by pooling resources.
Our mission is to build a virtuous and transparent model: improving traceability, supporting authorized professionals, combating illegal practices, and promoting innovation to recycle complex materials (lithium batteries, plastics, glass). The electrification of the vehicle fleet, the rise of connected vehicles, and the increasing use of composite materials demand rapid adaptation. EPR becomes a driver of innovation by supporting the development of new processes and enhancing the skills of industry stakeholders.
Starting in August 2025, EPR will extend to electric vehicle batteries, with new approval expected that same summer for Recycler Mon Véhicule.
A Strategic Opportunity for Europe
At the European level, implementing a harmonized EPR regulation presents a strategic opportunity to structure the sector. The proposed EU regulation includes 2-, 3-, and 4-wheeled vehicles and higher targets for reuse, recycling, and recovery, targets already anticipated by French legislation, giving it a strategic lead.
While some countries have yet to establish a clear timeline for implementing automotive EPR, France demonstrates that environmental ambition and industrial efficiency can go hand in hand. This success is rooted in close cooperation among public authorities, vehicle manufacturers and importers, certified ELV centers, and Recycler Mon Véhicule.
By anticipating this transition, France is positioning itself as a leader. It is now our responsibility to share our experience and collaborate with our European partners to firmly embed the 2-, 3-, and 4-wheeled vehicle industry in a circular, environmentally responsible model—an essential shift for an industry long associated with pollution.
Visit www.recyclermonvehicule.fr
