New EU Carbon Measures Could Hinder Chinese Battery-Makers’ Expansion

Newly proposed EU carbon measures could end up being a major obstacle for Chinese battery-makers as they ramp up their expansion in Europe, now one of their largest overseas markets, industry executives and experts said.

In December, the EU agreed on a provisional policy to make batteries more sustainable throughout their entire lifecycle — from the sourcing of raw materials to end-of-life recycling. Under the policy, manufacturers will be barred from the European market unless they come up with plans to prove that they can meet a series of sustainability targets, including carbon footprint thresholds.