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Definitions of terms
Producer
The producer definition distinguishes four different cases. The producer is always a manufacturer, importer, distributor, or other natural or legal person:
- The company is based in an EU Member State and has batteries manufactured or manufactures them itself. It then places them on the market in its own country for the first time under its own name or trademark.
- The company is based in an EU Member State and resells batteries manufactured by another company under its own name or trademark. The trademark of the actual manufacturer is not indicated on the batteries.
- The company is based in an EU Member State and places batteries originating from another EU country or a third country on the market there for the first time.
- The company is based in another EU Member State or a third country and sells batteries directly to end users in an EU Member State via distance contracts, for example, through an online shop.
The full definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3, paragraph 1, number 47.
Importer
Importer means any natural or legal person established within the Union who places on the market a battery from a third country. The definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3 paragraph 1 number 64.
Distributor
In the Battery Regulation, the term "distributor" describes a natural or legal person in the supply chain who makes a battery available on the market, excluding the manufacturer or the importer. The definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3 paragraph 1 number 65.
Portable battery
A portable battery is a battery that is sealed, weighs 5 kg or less, is not designed specifically for industrial use and is neither an electric vehicle battery, an LMT battery, nor an SLI battery. The definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3 paragraph 1 number 9.
Starting, lighting and ignition battery
A ‘starting, lighting and ignition battery’ or ‘SLI battery’ means a battery that is specifically designed to supply electric power for starting, lighting, or ignition and that can also be used for auxiliary or backup purposes in vehicles, other means of transport or machinery. The definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3 paragraph 1 number 12.
LMT battery
An LMT battery is a sealed battery specifically designed for light vehicles and weighing 25 kg or less. The full definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3, paragraph 1, number 11.
Industrial battery
An industrial battery is a battery specifically designed for industrial use or professional repurposing. This term also includes batteries weighing more than 5 kg that are neither LMT batteries, EV batteries, nor starter batteries. The full definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542), Article 3, paragraph 1, number 13.
EV battery
In simple terms, an EV battery is a battery that supplies electrical energy to an electric vehicle (EV) and weighs no more than 25 kg. The full definition can be found in the Battery Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2023/1542) under Article 3, paragraph 1, number 14.