If you drive an old car without classic car status and want to continue doing so in the future, the EU could soon put obstacles in your way. Brussels has been working on a new one for three years now End-of-Life Vehicles Ordinance (ELV). Last summer, the EU environment ministers agreed on a common position in the Council of the European Union. The regulation is scheduled to come into force in 2026.

This involves, for example, binding recycling quotas for plastics. The regulation but also affects the sale of used cars. Specifically, it concerns Article 25 of the Commission draft. Accordingly, the seller of a used car must prove that it is not an old vehicle. This applies regardless of whether the sale is domestic or the vehicle is intended for export.

Used cars: When is a car a scrap vehicle?

“In the future, only roadworthy vehicles will be allowed to be exported from the EU in order to prevent end-of-life vehicles and valuable materials from leaving the European recycling cycle in an uncontrolled manner,” writes the magazine “EU-Recycling”. Proof that no (supposedly) scrap vehicle changes hands can be provided in two ways:

• By presenting a valid general inspection certificate (TÜV).
• Through the report of an independent vehicle expert. The seller then has to pay for this expensively himself. However, a report that could cost several thousand euros would hardly be worthwhile for older used cars.

If neither document is available, the car cannot be registered or re-registered or exported to another country. In effect, this means that the car can no longer be sold as a used car. According to the current draft of the regulation, there is an exception if the car is sold privately or among friends.

Motor vehicle association warns of used car shrinkage

The Central Association of the German Motor Vehicle Trade (ZDK) is now warning of the possible consequences for the used car market. “If repairable cars are classified as old vehicles too quickly, they disappear from the used car market. This reduces the supply – and cheap used cars in particular could become more expensive for many people,” said ZDK President Thomas Peckruhn to FOCUS online. “Used car buyers rightly expect a technically safe vehicle – and the certainty that they will be able to have it repaired for years to come. However, if vehicles are prematurely classified as end-of-life vehicles, even repairable cars are at risk of a premature end. That would be neither in the interests of consumers nor of sustainability. In the end, the customer must be able to decide when to part with their vehicle,” continues Peckruhn.

Fast fleet replacement vs. right to repair

In fact, the EU has a conflict of objectives here. On the one hand, she is vigorously pursuing her electronic agenda, which includes in addition to the ban on combustion engines from 2035 those too Planned quota regulation for electric company cars. The end-of-life car regulation could help: the faster older vehicles are banned from the fleet, the more people would be forced to buy an electric car – and the car manufacturers themselves would also be interested in doing so, because the only money they earn from old vehicles is spare parts. For Brussels, as part of its “circular economy”, it seems more important that old cars are recycled and not driven for as long as possible.

On the other hand, the EU also wants to adhere to the “right to repair” in its sustainability goals. This is a double-edged sword for the car trade: On the one hand, independent car shops in particular make good money from repairs. The average age of vehicles in Germany was 10.6 years in 2025that was two years older than 2010. On the other hand, the automotive industry also fears stricter warranty obligations, which are currently still being discussed. This could lead to dealers preferring not to sell older used cars at all – and accordingly thinning out the offering in this area.

Will cars soon have a digital expiry date?

In addition to the end-of-life car regulation, there is another regulation that is likely to have an impact on used cars and does not come from the EU, but from the United Nations: the UN directive R155 on cybersecurity of vehicles has been in force since July 2024. What is particularly controversial is the “End of Cybersecurity Support (EoCSS)”. The question behind this is how long a manufacturer actually has to offer support, i.e. service and updates, for the vehicle software.

The Association of the German Automotive Industry (VDA) demands that car manufacturers only have to provide limited support: “The requirements of UN R155 to ensure cybersecurity over the entire vehicle life cycle present the automotive industry with technically insoluble technical, organizational and economic challenges,” said the VDA in a position paper.

After support ends, there will only be “passive product monitoring”. “Cybersecurity is a central part of road safety. It has no expiration date,” emphasizes ZDK President Peckruhn. Responsibility for vehicle safety must remain with the vehicle manufacturers and not be shifted to retailers or workshops.