Spain - End of Life Vehicles – New Regulations

The government has approved Order PRE/26/2014, of 16 January, amending Annex II of the Royal Decree 1383 / 2002, of 20 December, on management of end-of life vehicles

The Royal Decree 1383 / 2002, of 20 December, on management of end-of-life vehicles, incorporated into Spanish law Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and Council of 18 September 2002, concerning end-of life vehicles.

These rules aim at reducing the negative environmental impact of scrap vehicles by establishing not only rules on correct environmental management, but also preventive measures which the interested parties should take into consideration from the early stages of vehicle design and manufacturing.

Royal Decree 1383 / 2002, of 20 December bans, as a general rule, the use of lead, mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium in materials and components of vehicles placed on the market after 1 July 2003, and Annex II of both the Directive and the Royal Decree set forth exceptions to this general prohibition rules.

Commission Directive 2013/28/EU directive of May 17, amended Annex II of Directive 2000/53 y replaced annex II of Directive 2000/53/EC by a new Annex II that incorporates a new time extension for the application of the exemption for the use of lead in welding of electrical appliances on glass (except for welds in laminated glazing).

The evaluation of technical and scientific progress has shown that the use of lead is still unavoidable to the extent that substitutes are not yet available, thus causing the authorities to extend the exemption  (which was scheduled to expire on January 1, 2013) until January 1, 2016. The referred Order accomplishes this goal by amending Annex II of Royal Decree 1383 / 2002, of 20 December.