Commercial Information Circular

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 230/2

1 August 2023

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 535/2023

European Union (EU)* : Regulation on Batteries and Waste Batteries

The European Parliament and the Council of the EU have adopted Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 on batteries and waste batteries which amends Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 as well as repeals Directive 2006/66/EC. The Regulation was published on 28 July 2023 and is available at: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=OJ:JOL_2023_191_R_0001.

2.The Regulation lays down requirements on sustainability, safety, labelling, marking and information of batteries to be placed on the EU market or put into service within the EU, as well as minimum requirements for extended producer responsibility and collection and treatment of waste batteries. It applies to all categories of batteries, including portable batteries, starting, lighting and ignition batteries (SLI batteries), light means of transport batteries (LMT batteries), electric vehicle batteries and industrial batteries. It also applies to batteries that are incorporated into or added to products, or specifically designed to be so.

3.Under the Regulation, there are new requirements on carbon footprint declaration and recycled contents in batteries. All batteries shall be marked with the separate collection symbol as stipulated in the Regulation and a QR code for accessing the relevant information. Certain batteries shall have an electronic record (i.e. battery passport) accessible through the QR code. Moreover, economic operators are required to set up and implement battery due diligence policies and have them verified and audited by a conformity assessment body notified under the Regulation. The Regulation will enter into force on 17 August 2023 and shall apply from 18 February 2024, except that certain Articles will apply later by phases.

4.For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5684.

Yours faithfully,



(Miss Tracy MAK)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* The EU comprises 27 member countries, namely, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.