EU adopts mandatory vehicle withdrawal rules for thousands of end‑of‑life cars

The European Parliament has approved new regulations that set stricter criteria for end‑of‑life vehicles (ELVs). The rules require that vehicles deemed non‑repairable be withdrawn from circulation and sent to approved recycling facilities. Used‑car dealers will have to provide an evaluation report or a valid technical inspection certificate proving that a sold vehicle meets safety and emissions standards. Export of used cars that do not comply with the safety criteria will be prohibited, aiming to stop the illegal resale of unsafe vehicles.

The legislation also tightens periodic technical inspections, introduces tougher emissions checks and obliges manufacturers to incorporate at least 20 % recycled plastic from ELV components into new cars. While the measures will not immediately affect most everyday drivers, they create new compliance responsibilities for dealers and reinforce EU goals of safer roads and higher recycling rates.