EUPublished: 1 June 2026

[Regulatory Update] EU Battery Regulation's Labelling Requirements Use 18 August 2026 as a Baseline Date, Linked to the Entry Into Force of Implementing Rules

Source:European Commission

Article 13 of the EU Battery Regulation (EU 2023/1542) provides that labelling requirements — such as general battery information and capacity information for rechargeable batteries — apply "from 18 August 2026, or 18 months after the entry into force of the relevant implementing act, whichever is later". 18 August 2026 cannot therefore be treated as an unconditional final compliance date. The separate collection symbol applies from 18 August 2025, and the QR code from 18 February 2027 — a different timeline again. It is important not to treat the label, the collection symbol and the QR code as a single "battery labelling obligation".

Editor's View

The EU Battery Regulation contains multiple labelling and information obligations within a single regulation, each with a different application date. Not only battery manufacturers but also finished-product manufacturers and importers need to check the required labelling specifications and application dates for each covered battery; a date written into the regulation does not automatically mean "the obligation applies from that date".

※ This article is based on official public information from an external source (European Commission) and has been analyzed and organized for practical use.

Primary Source (Official)

Related Regulation Information

EU Battery Regulation

The EU Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) comprehensively overhauls the former Battery Directive (2006/66/EC) and is a directly applicable regulation governing the entire lifecycle — from raw material sourcing through design, production, reuse, and recycling — of all batteries placed on the EU market, including electric vehicle, industrial, light means of transport (LMT), portable, and starting-lighting-ignition (SLI) batteries. It imposes some of the world's most stringent environmental and traceability requirements, including disclosure and caps on carbon footprint, the introduction of the Digital Battery Passport, mandatory supply chain due diligence, minimum recycled-content requirements for raw materials (cobalt, lithium, nickel, and lead), and raised targets for waste-battery recycling efficiency and material recovery.

See this regulation's full analysis (timeline & business impact)

💡 The overview and schedule for the regulation related to this article can also be found on the Regulatory Gateway Database page.