Following our information from August last year concerning the new Batteries Regulation EPaR (EU) No 2023/1542 on batteries and waste batteries, which amends Directive 2008/98/EC and Regulation (EU) 2019/1020 and repeals Directive 2006/66/EC (hereinafter the “Batteries Regulation”), in particular Chapter VIII on Extended Producer Responsibility, which entered into force on 18 August 2025, we would like to provide you with the latest information on the next steps of the Ministry of the Environment.

The European Batteries Regulation gradually introduces new rules for the recording and reporting of data on batteries and waste batteries. In Slovakia, the competent authorities responsible for supervising compliance with these obligations (monitoring and verification of whether producers and producer responsibility organisations fulfil their obligations) have not yet been designated. As a result, the transitional period remains in place.

For the reporting year 2025, data will continue to be reported in the same manner as for 2024, without any changes to the structure or scope of the reported data. In 2026, an update of the Information System of Waste Management (ISOH) is planned to ensure that, as of 1 January 2027, data reporting will be fully compliant with the Batteries Regulation and its implementing and delegated acts. Data for the year 2026 will be reported at the beginning of 2027.

At the same time, the currently applicable Decree of the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic No. 366/2015 Coll. on record-keeping and reporting obligations will be aligned in 2026 with the Batteries Regulation and Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/2289. The entry into force of Decree No. 89/2024 Coll. on record-keeping and reporting obligations has been postponed to 1 January 2027.

Changes to the Waste Catalogue related to battery waste will be incorporated by November 2026 in accordance with Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2025/934.

For producers, this primarily means the need to prepare in 2026 for the collection and recording of data in the new structure, even though reporting under the new rules will only take place in 2027. Changes to the classification of waste batteries in the Waste Catalogue are expected by November 2026.

We will continue to keep you informed about the progress of the Ministry of the Environment in implementing the planned changes.