FIGIEFA welcomes the vote yesterday by the European Parliament adopting the new EU Regulation on circularity requirements for vehicle design and the management of end-of-life vehicles (ELVs). The new legislation marks a significant milestone in Europe's transition towards a more circular automotive economy and contains several important achievements long advocated for by the independent automotive aftermarket.

Designing vehicles for circularity from the outset

The regulation recognises a fundamental principle: circularity must be built into vehicles from the design stage and cannot be addressed only at the end of a vehicle's life.

FIGIEFA particularly welcomes the provisions contained in Article 7, which establish specific design requirements to enable the removal of parts and components with a view to their replacement, reuse, recycling, remanufacturing and refurbishment.

Equally important, the regulation addresses the risk that the removal and replacement of parts and components is hindered through software related processes, including that of pairing individual parts to specific vehicles. While there are technically sound reasons for such processes, they must not become barriers to the effective re-use and remanufacturing of these parts.

"As vehicles become increasingly digital and software-defined, ensuring that these technological developments cannot be used to undermine repairability, reuse and remanufacturing is essential for preserving competition, consumer choice and the circular economy," said Laurence Eeckhout from FIGIEFA.

This recognition sends a strong signal that Europe's circular economy objectives must remain compatible with technological developments in the automotive sector.

Creating legal certainty for reuse and remanufacturing

FIGIEFA also welcomes the clarification that parts recovered from end-of-life vehicles or from repair and maintenance operations and intended for reuse, remanufacturing or refurbishment should not be considered waste. This legal certainty is fundamental for fostering investment and enabling the development of a genuine European market for reused, repaired and remanufactured automotive parts.

The encouragement given to Member States to support repair, reuse and remanufacturing activities is another positive step towards extending product lifecycles and reducing Europe's dependence on raw materials.

Repair first: avoiding unnecessary end-of-life decisions

FIGIEFA strongly supports the balanced approach adopted regarding the determination of whether a vehicle has reached its end of life.

In the initial Commission proposal and throughout the legislative process, there was a risk that overly restrictive criteria could have resulted in vehicles being sent prematurely to authorised treatment facilities, despite remaining technically repairable.

The final text rightly avoids such an outcome and recognises an essential principle of the circular economy: a vehicle should not be treated as waste when qualified aftermarket operators are able to restore it to safe and roadworthy condition.

The final text therefore preserves the vehicle owner's ability to decide whether a vehicle should be repaired or dismantled. This balanced approach will help avoid unnecessary waste generation, extend vehicle lifespans and support affordable mobility for European citizens.

Implementation will be key to delivering results

While FIGIEFA welcomes the new regulatory framework, it is important to stress that legislation alone will not be sufficient to scale up circularity in the automotive sector.

The successful development of reuse and remanufacturing will depend on the practical conditions under which the Regulation is implemented. Independent operators must have effective access to vehicle data, technical information and the functionalities necessary to identify, test, repair and reuse components on increasingly connected and software-driven vehicles.

At the same time, administrative, traceability and compliance requirements linked to the reuse and remanufacturing of parts must remain proportionate to enable businesses across the independent aftermarket to invest and fully participate in Europe's circular transition.

FIGIEFA remains committed to working with European institutions, Member States and all stakeholders to ensure that the implementation of the Regulation delivers tangible benefits for consumers, businesses and the environment.