Brussels: The EU end-of-life vehicles regulation, Regulation (EU) 2026/1738, entered into force on 13 August 2026 and sets the first binding recycled plastic quota for new cars in Europe. From 1 September 2032, carmakers must build at least 15% recycled post-consumer plastic into new vehicles. The end-of-life vehicles regulation replaces the 2000 ELV Directive and the 2005 type-approval directive on recyclability.

The quota rises to 25% from 1 September 2036, and at least 20% of the recycled plastic must come from end-of-life vehicles or components removed during a vehicle’s life. That closed-loop rule stops manufacturers from meeting the target with bottle or packaging plastic alone. Oliver Schmid, senior engineer for circular economy at Hyundai, noted that “these mandatory targets focus only on post-consumer content,” Automotive Logistics reported.

Brussels frames the law as a raw-materials measure. Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, said: “This is about more than recycling – it is about securing critical materials.” The text also sets minimum recycled content requirements for steel and aluminium by 14 August 2033 at the latest. Parliament approved the text in June, the European Circular Economy Stakeholder Platform noted.

The end-of-life vehicles regulation gives manufacturers a long list of dated obligations. Producers take extended producer responsibility for vehicles they sell in the EU from 1 September 2029, so they will finance collection and treatment. From 1 January 2030, recovery targets rise to at least 95% reuse and recovery and 85% reuse and recycling by average weight, excluding batteries.

The end-of-life vehicles regulation gives plastics recycling its own yearly benchmark. From 1 January 2032, operators must recycle at least 30% of the average plastic weight in end-of-life vehicles. Each new vehicle also needs a Digital Circularity Vehicle Passport from 1 September 2032, and new vehicle types must meet design targets of 85% reuse and recycling and 95% reuse and recovery.

Exports change too. From 1 September 2031, only roadworthy used vehicles may leave the EU, so end-of-life vehicles can no longer drift out of the regulated waste system as used cars. A mirror clause follows on 14 August 2030: recycled content from outside the EU counts toward the targets only if the recycling site meets equivalent EU requirements.

The aftermarket wants a say in how the end-of-life vehicles regulation works. Léa Dégardin, European public affairs director at Mobivia, called for “fair and non-discriminatory access to data and in-vehicle information.” That demand matters because dismantlers and repairers need vehicle data to recover parts and sort materials efficiently.

Industry will now test whether supply can keep pace with the end-of-life vehicles regulation. Carmakers need dismantling capacity and recycled plastic supply well before 2032, and the 20% closed-loop share ties their plans to the supply of scrapped cars. Suppliers that already recover plastic from dismantled vehicles hold an early advantage, while importers of recycled granulate face the mirror clause.

Carmakers, dismantlers and recyclers should map their duties against the dates above, using the Regulation (EU) 2026/1738 summary as a guide. The end-of-life vehicles regulation starts to bite with producer responsibility in September 2029, and the plastic quota follows three years later.