Insights

More than a year ago, the EU Batteries Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) entered into force.  In approximately one year’s time, the EU Batteries Regulation is set to repeal the 2006 Batteries Directive (Directive 2006/66/EC), with some exceptions. During the 2024 summer, a number of the new requirements under the EU Batteries Regulation have begun to apply.  With these points in mind, it is an opportune time to take stock of the new requirements being phased-in under the EU Batteries Regulation, consider the most recent requirements which begun to apply last month (August 2024), and assess the significant, and growing, impact the EU Batteries Regulation is having more generally.

On March 19, 2024, the European Council adopted changes to the Statute of the Court of Justice of the European Union in an attempt to improve its efficiency.

On October 1, 2023, the transitional period of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (the “CBAM”) began. The mechanism is part of the EU’s efforts to achieve objectives outlined in its green agenda, in particular to tackle the issue of the relocation of emission-heavy production to countries with less stringent environmental policies. In practical terms, it means that starting from October 1, 2023 until December 31, 2025, emissions on goods in certain sectors should be reported when they are imported into the customs territory of the EU. Subsequently, during the definitive period, the trading in CBAM certificates will be added to the reporting obligations, and, gradually, the existing EU Emission Trading System (“ETS”) will be replaced with the CBAM in 2034. In this alert, we discuss certain basic elements of the CBAM as well as certain complex technical aspects of the reporting requirements.