Global Coalition Calls for No Further Weakening of EU Batteries Due Diligence Rules

Changes to Batteries Regulation rules would threaten responsible and resilient supply chains and weaken European companies’ competitive advantage.

A coalition of over 30 global civil society organisations, labour organisations, investors and businesses have called on the European Parliament to prevent any further weakening of the due diligence requirements of the EU Batteries Regulation.

As the world continues to shift to renewable energy systems and electric vehicles, both of which are key to achieving climate neutrality by 2050, ensuring sustainable and responsible battery supply chains is vital. The EU Batteries Regulation due diligence rules, if implemented correctly, will be key to achieving that.

However, we are concerned by a growing push to further weaken the due diligence rules. In a letter to the European Parliament’s environment committee, the group calls on MEPs to uphold the due diligence provisions — by not going beyond the European Commission’s proposal and avoiding any amendments that would further weaken the requirements.

Weakening the rules now will leave businesses which are already preparing at an economic disadvantage. T&E’s analysis of carmakers’ implementation of the EU Batteries Regulation due diligence rules to date shows that huge progress has been made on supply chain transparency. On top of this, European automakers are much more advanced in their preparedness compared to Chinese OEMs, with European companies leading across numerous due diligence requirements. Therefore, attempts to weaken the rules will not only risk securing sustainable supply chains critical for the net zero transition, but they will also risk jeopardising the crucial opportunity to give a competitive advantage to a strategic European industry.

To find out more, download the letter.

Article from T&E.