What 'Right to Repair' means for e-bike sellers and manufacturers

What 'Right to Repair' means for e-bike sellers and manufacturers

On April 23, the 'Right to Repair' directive was adopted by the European Parliament. The proposed law should encourage repair and reuse of defective devices instead of replacement, with the aim of minimising 'e-waste' caused by these devices. The guidelines that the EU will prescribe to its member states in the coming years are becoming increasingly clear: repair must become the standard for all electronic consumer goods, even after the legal guarantee period. What does this mean for the e-bike industry?

Most of the raw materials in the magnets for e-bike motors are imported from China. – Photo Bike Europe

New EU directive enforces e-bike component recycling

BRUSSELS, Belgium - An agreement on the Critical Raw Materials Directive was reached by the EU Council recently. The Directive includes important changes to the recycling of permanent magnets and a new element has been added to the list of raw materials considered strategic.

The European Raw Materials Act aims to ensure an EU's access to a secure, diversified, affordable and sustainable supply of critical raw materials. – Photo Shutterstock

E-bike motors included in European Raw Materials Act

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission wants to increase the recycling volumes of raw materials used in permanent magnets, including e-bikes motors. This is one of the goals of a new regulation proposed by the Commission recently, and that is going to be discussed both in the Parliament and in the Council soon.

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CONEBI and ZIV will host an EU legislation update event at Eurobike. Photo: Bike Europe

EU legislation and the future of the bicycle industry update event at...

FRIEDRICHSHAFEN, Germany - The industry organisation CONEBI and ZIV will host an update event on future legislation in the European Union. A high-level panel will discuss the role of the EU in securing robust, long-term development of the bicycle industry and the related ecosystem in Europe.

For the industry organisations the main objective is to ensure that the e-bike continues to be considered legally a bicycle. – Photo Bike Europe

European cycling associations campaign to protect legal status of...

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission's announcement to review Directive 168/2013 which regulates the type-approval for vehicles with two or more wheels has united the EU cycling advocacy associations CONEBI, CIE, European Cyclists' Federation (ECF).

LEVA-EU member, Rad Power Bikes, also notes that the current regulations need more clarity for the market to grow. - Photo LEVA-EU

No LEV legislation changes imminent as new study is launched

BRUSSELS, Belgium - "The European Commission cannot continue to ignore a key barrier to growth for the LEV market," says trade association, LEVA-EU, following the decision to carry out another study into LEVs. The association is calling for the commission to "match green transport rhetoric with action on LEVs" in regards to legislation which limits the sector.

Taiwan’s new bill aims to greatly increase fines for using fraudulent certificates of origin. – Photo Bike Europe

After EU Investigation Taiwan Steps Up Fight Against Fraud of Rules...

TAIPEI, Taiwan - Last Tuesday Taiwan's parliament passed the review of a draft bill to step up the fight against fake origin labels and certificates of origin. The bill was initiated by Taiwan's Minister of Economic Affairs after the government identified several companies that tagged Chinese products with fraudulent labels of origin in an attempt to avoid anti-dumping tariffs imposed by the EU on Chinese exports.

European Commission has published Regulation (EU) 2019/1379 imposing definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of bicycles originating in the People's Republic of China. – Photo Bike Europe

European Commission Maintains Anti-Dumping Duties on China Made...

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union is maintaining the anti-dumping duties on regular made in China bicycles that are exported to the EU member states for another five years.

Brussels is taking close look at online and offline sales practices. Bike sector is advised to play active role in this process. – Photo European Union

Will Brussels Be Threatening Your Current Distribution Model?

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Since late last year Brussels is evaluating the General Vertical Block Exemption Regulation 2010 (hereinafter referred to as 'VBER'). The question is whether this Regulation should be prolonged, revised or allowed to lapse.

DEKRA opened new electromagnetic compatibility laboratory and battery test facilities based in Stuttgart. – Photo DEKRA

As Legal Status of E-Bikes Have Changed New Test Laboratory for EN...

STUTTGART, Germany - DEKRA, the German testing and experts organization, has expanded its range of services targeted to electric two-wheel mobility. A new electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) laboratory and battery test facilities based in Stuttgart are opened. It's to meet growing demand caused by the recent changes in the legal status of e-bikes. Compliance of 25km/h e-bikes with the Machinery Directive and EN 15194 is now a legal obligation.

The European Commission published its conclusion of the expiry review. – Photo Bike Europe

European Commission Publishes Anti-Dumping Review For China Made...

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Union is poised to maintain anti-dumping duties on Chinese bicycles for another five years. The European Commission has completed a review of whether such measures are still warranted and published its conclusion in a disclosure document. This was sent to all participants of the review.

Electric step-scooter users must stick to a speed limit of 20 kilometers per hour and be aged 14 years or older. – Photo BMZ

Electric Step-Scooters Get Green Light on Germany's roads

BERLIN, Germany - Germany has authorized the usage of battery-powered step-scooters on its streets and cycle paths, but banned them from pavements to protect pedestrians as the two-wheeled craze continues to spread across Europe.

WTO decided against market-economy status for China. Current dumping measures against import of regular bikes likely to continue. – Photo Bike Europe

WTO Ruling Makes Dumping Duties on Regular Bikes Imported from China...

GENEVA, Switzerland - Initial reports indicate that the World Trade Organization (WTO) decided that China didn't automatically qualify for market-economy status in 2016. The Chinese government claimed this.

First hurdle has now been taken in efforts to have no compulsory third party liability insurance for e-bikes. – Photo Trek

European Parliament Decides: No Compulsory Third Party Liability...

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Today, the European Parliament's IMCO committee decided that there should be no compulsory third party liability insurance required for lower powered pedelecs/e-bikes.

Will all e-bikes need to have an insurance plate soon? ECF issued an emergency call to all stakeholders to prevent this. – Photo Trek

Help Needed To Prevent Mandatory E-Bike Insurance

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Yesterday, the European Cyclists Federation (ECF) issued an emergency call to all stakeholders as a mandatory insurance on all e-bike types still looms.

ECF and CONEBI are in discussion and working with EU Parliament and Council in order to get sensible treatment of e-bike in relation to this legislation. – Photo Gazelle

CONEBI & ECF: 'Compulsory Insurance for E-Bikes Is Not Unalterable...

The European Cyclist Federation (ECF) and the Confederation of the European Bicycle Industry (CONEBI) state in a joint response to last Thursday's Bike Europe article on the EU Motor Insurance Directive (MID) that a compulsory insurance for e-bikes Is not an unalterable fact. Both organizations say that what

Situation is now that each of the EU’s 28 member states are to decide whether it wants to burden the use of e-bikes with compulsory liability insurance.

Finally There's Clarity on Compulsory Insurance for E-Bikes

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Last May the European Commission's decision that regular 25km/h - 250W electric bicycles need to have a third party liability insurance, perplexed many.

Mandatory insurance will cause blow to growing popularity of e-bikes across Europe. – Photo Gazelle

First Success for Campaign to Change EU's Position on E-Bike Insurance

BRUSSELS, Belgium - Last Tuesday Bike Europe reported on the number of people that presented their feedback to the European Commission on its decision that regular 25km/h - 250W electric bicycles need to have a third-party liability insurance.

Today is the last chance to post your feedback on the European Commission’s decision that regular 25km/h – 250W electric bicycles need to have a third-party liability insurance. – Photo EU

Hundreds of People Present Feedback on Statutory Insurance for E-Bikes

BRUSSELS, Belgium - It came to light last May when the European Commission decided that regular 25km/h - 250W electric bicycles need to have a third-party liability insurance.

At hearing in Brussels E-Bike Importers Collective was represented by 5 importers. – Photo EU

EU Commission Hears Importers Collective in E-Bike Dumping Case

BRUSSELS, Belgium - The European Commission has granted the Collective of European Importers of Electric Bicycles a hearing, which took place mid January.

Collective of European Importers of Electric Bicycles contacted Squire Patton Boggs for legal counsel. – Photo Shutterstock

European E-Bike Importers' Collective Agree on Legal Counseling

BRUSSELS, Belgium - "The e-bike dumping case threatens the market and we are united in our conviction to defend our interests, which ultimately will protect

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