{"id":17965,"date":"2026-05-06T09:43:20","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T06:43:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paristokierratys.fi\/?p=17965"},"modified":"2026-05-06T09:50:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T06:50:00","slug":"answers-from-the-webinar-what-does-the-eu-battery-regulation-require-in-practice-from-collection-and-distributors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paristokierratys.fi\/en\/blog\/2026\/05\/06\/answers-from-the-webinar-what-does-the-eu-battery-regulation-require-in-practice-from-collection-and-distributors\/","title":{"rendered":"Answers from the webinar: what does the EU Battery Regulation require in practice from collection and distributors?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The implementation of the EU Battery Regulation became more concrete with the publication of the national implementation guidance in January. What does this guidance mean in practice for operators in the battery value chain? These questions were addressed at the seventh Batteries Regulation webinar organised by the battery and accumulator producer organisations.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Batteries Regulation\u00a0webinar\u00a0was\u00a0held\u00a0on 23 April\u00a02026\u00a0and it\u00a0focused on the practical implications of the new regulation for\u00a0<\/span>battery collection, distributors\u2019 take-back obligations and reporting.<\/span>\u00a0The\u00a0webinar\u00a0attracted more than 240 participants.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During\u00a0the\u00a0morning\u00a0session,\u00a0participants\u00a0heard\u00a0an\u00a0overview\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0national\u00a0implementation\u00a0guidance\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0Finnish\u00a0Supervisory\u00a0Agency<\/span>,\u00a0perspectives\u00a0from\u00a0producer\u00a0organisations\u00a0on\u00a0collection\u00a0responsibilities, and\u00a0practical\u00a0observations\u00a0from\u00a0the\u00a0Finnish\u00a0Commerce Federation on\u00a0the\u00a0implementation\u00a0of\u00a0distributors\u2019\u00a0collection.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0EU\u00a0battery\u00a0regulation\u00a0<\/span>places\u00a0obligations\u00a0on\u00a0different\u00a0actors\u00a0across\u00a0the\u00a0battery\u00a0value\u00a0chain.\u00a0This\u00a0webinar\u00a0focused\u00a0in\u00a0particular\u00a0on\u00a0distributors\u00a0\u2013 i.e.\u00a0companies\u00a0selling\u00a0batteries.\u00a0The\u00a0programme\u00a0highlighted\u00a0several\u00a0themes\u00a0that\u00a0were\u00a0new\u00a0for\u00a0many\u00a0participants,\u00a0including\u00a0safety\u00a0considerations,\u00a0the\u00a0use\u00a0of\u00a0battery-derived\u00a0raw\u00a0materials\u00a0in\u00a0fertilisers,\u00a0the\u00a0interpretation\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0regulation\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0national\u00a0implementation\u00a0guidance, and\u00a0the\u00a0retail\u00a0sector\u2019s\u00a0perspective\u00a0on\u00a0regulatory\u00a0responsibilities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>national<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>implementation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>guidance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>clarifies<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>obligations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>under<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>EU\u00a0<\/span>battery<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>regulation<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Senior\u00a0Officer Jaana\u00a0M\u00e4enp\u00e4\u00e4 from\u00a0the\u00a0Finnish\u00a0Supervisory\u00a0Agency\u00a0presented the producer responsibility provisions of the EU Battery\u00a0Regulation, which entered into force in August 2025. The regulation has introduced significant changes for battery producers and distributors alike.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

the\u00a0Finnish\u00a0Supervisory\u00a0Agency\u00a0published\u00a0Finland\u2019s\u00a0national\u00a0implementation\u00a0guidance\u00a0on 30\u00a0January\u00a02026.\u00a0The\u00a0guidance\u00a0was\u00a0updated\u00a0on 2\u00a0March\u00a02026 to\u00a0correct\u00a0a\u00a0translation\u00a0error\u00a0in\u00a0Article\u00a061.\u00a0Its\u00a0purpose\u00a0is to\u00a0clarify\u00a0how\u00a0provisions\u00a0related\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0collection\u00a0of\u00a0waste\u00a0batteries,\u00a0distributors\u2019\u00a0take-back\u00a0obligations\u00a0and\u00a0reporting\u00a0requirements\u00a0are\u00a0interpreted\u00a0in Finland.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0time,\u00a0the\u00a0reform\u00a0of\u00a0the\u00a0supervisory\u00a0authority\u00a0structure\u00a0was\u00a0outlined. As of 1\u00a0January\u00a02026, supervision of\u00a0producer\u00a0responsibility\u00a0matters\u00a0was\u00a0transferred\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0Finnish\u00a0Supervisory\u00a0Agency\u00a0and\u00a0placed\u00a0within\u00a0the\u00a0Environmental\u00a0Department\u2019s\u00a0Circular\u00a0Economy\u00a0Unit. M\u00e4enp\u00e4\u00e4\u00a0acts\u00a0as\u00a0the\u00a0supervising\u00a0authority\u00a0for\u00a0producer\u00a0responsibility\u00a0for\u00a0batteries\u00a0and\u00a0accumulators.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0collection\u00a0network\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0comprehensive,\u00a0accessible\u00a0and\u00a0free\u00a0of\u00a0charge<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The\u00a0national\u00a0implementation\u00a0guidance\u00a0emphasises\u00a0that\u00a0producers\u00a0or\u00a0producer\u00a0organisations\u00a0must\u00a0organise\u00a0a\u00a0collection\u00a0network\u00a0that\u00a0ensures\u00a0an\u00a0adequate\u00a0service\u00a0level\u00a0and\u00a0accessibility\u00a0nationwide.\u00a0Collection\u00a0points\u00a0must\u00a0accept\u00a0all\u00a0waste\u00a0batteries\u00a0and\u00a0accumulators\u00a0belonging\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0contracted\u00a0battery\u00a0categories,\u00a0regardless\u00a0of\u00a0their\u00a0chemical\u00a0composition,\u00a0condition,\u00a0brand\u00a0or\u00a0origin.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Collection\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0free\u00a0of\u00a0charge\u00a0and\u00a0easy\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0waste\u00a0holder, and\u00a0producers\u00a0or\u00a0producer\u00a0organisations\u00a0must\u00a0provide\u00a0collection\u00a0and transport\u00a0equipment\u00a0to\u00a0collection\u00a0points\u00a0free\u00a0of\u00a0charge.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Minimum\u00a0requirements\u00a0are\u00a0also\u00a0defined\u00a0for\u00a0the\u00a0number\u00a0of\u00a0collection\u00a0points\u00a0by\u00a0battery\u00a0category. For\u00a0portable\u00a0batteries\u00a0and\u00a0accumulators,\u00a0light\u00a0means\u00a0of transport\u00a0batteries\u00a0and\u00a0vehicle\u00a0batteries,\u00a0each\u00a0municipality\u00a0must\u00a0have, in addition to\u00a0distributors\u2019\u00a0take-back\u00a0points, at\u00a0least\u00a0one\u00a0regional\u00a0collection\u00a0point\u00a0belonging\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0producer\u00a0responsibility\u00a0collection\u00a0network.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For\u00a0industrial\u00a0batteries,\u00a0the\u00a0requirements\u00a0depend\u00a0on\u00a0battery\u00a0weight. For\u00a0waste\u00a0batteries\u00a0weighing\u00a0less\u00a0than\u00a050 kg,\u00a0collection\u00a0must\u00a0extend\u00a0to\u00a0every\u00a0municipality. For\u00a0batteries\u00a0weighing\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a050 kg,\u00a0the\u00a0minimum\u00a0requirement\u00a0is\u00a0one\u00a0collection\u00a0point\u00a0per\u00a0region. In\u00a0all\u00a0cases,\u00a0the\u00a0distance\u00a0to a\u00a0collection\u00a0point\u00a0must\u00a0remain\u00a0reasonable, and\u00a0the\u00a0collection\u00a0network\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0geographically\u00a0balanced\u00a0across\u00a0Finland,\u00a0taking\u00a0population\u00a0density\u00a0into\u00a0account.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For\u00a0traction\u00a0batteries,\u00a0the\u00a0same\u00a0principle\u00a0applies:\u00a0collection\u00a0must\u00a0cover\u00a0every\u00a0municipality, and\u00a0regional\u00a0collection\u00a0points\u00a0must\u00a0be\u00a0located\u00a0at a\u00a0reasonable\u00a0distance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Distributors\u2019\u00a0take-back\u00a0obligations\u00a0expand\u00a0\u2013\u00a0flexibility\u00a0is\u00a0needed\u00a0in\u00a0practical\u00a0implementation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The\u00a0implementation\u00a0guidance\u00a0also\u00a0provides\u00a0clarification\u00a0on\u00a0distributors\u2019\u00a0take-back\u00a0obligations.\u00a0As a general\u00a0rule,\u00a0distributors\u00a0must\u00a0take\u00a0back\u00a0waste\u00a0batteries\u00a0belonging\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0battery\u00a0categories\u00a0that\u00a0they\u00a0sell. In\u00a0certain\u00a0situations,\u00a0take-back\u00a0may\u00a0be\u00a0organised\u00a0at an\u00a0alternative\u00a0location,\u00a0provided\u00a0that\u00a0it is\u00a0at\u00a0least\u00a0equally\u00a0accessible\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0end\u00a0user\u00a0and\u00a0otherwise\u00a0compliant\u00a0with\u00a0the\u00a0regulation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0guidance\u00a0also\u00a0specifies\u00a0practices\u00a0related\u00a0to\u00a0distance\u00a0selling\u00a0within\u00a0Finland.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n