In 2020, the EU Commission is evaluating and subsequently revising the End-of-Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive 2000/53/EC. When it comes to ELV recycling, the issue of unknown whereabouts of vehicles is the most crucial aspect to be solved. In a Scientific Opinion Paper, the German Environment Agency (UBA) outlines the negative impacts of the unknown whereabouts and presents recommendations to prevent leakage of ELVs into the illegal sector.

UBA concludes that any advances to establish ambitious ELV treatment and recycling targets will only succeed, if a legal framework for effectively steering all ELVs into authorised treatment facilities is created. Therefore, the revision of the ELV Directive should be used to evaluate how appropriate minimum requirements for national vehicle registration systems can be implemented within the European legal framework.