In recent months, we've been shaken once again by two major product-safety incidents. Several brands of infant formula were found to be contaminated with cereulide, a toxin produced by Bacillus cereus. Under certain conditions, it can cause health complaints, and this triggered anxiety and recalls.
Starting 18 February, 2027, the European Union will mandate a digital battery passport for all light means of transport (LMT) batteries, including e-bikes, to enhance sustainability and traceability. This digital record, accessed via QR code, will contain detailed information on the battery's composition, carbon footprint, technical performance and lifecycle. With one year to go, various solutions and regulatory clarity for the e-bike market are beginning to take shape.
E-bikes powered exclusively by a generator are considered technically innovative, but until now, they have been difficult to classify legally. This is going to change with the publication of the German standard DIN 31067. Though limited to Germany only, it may apply elsewhere in the EU if adopted or referenced.
The European bicycle industry is one year into the General Product Safety Regulations (GPSR) set by the European Union, and a recent spate of recalls has raised the question, are these just a series of isolated quality lapses, or part of the broader impact of the GPSR?
The requirement for replaceable cells in e-bike batteries suddenly became a hot topic in 2023, and the European Commission recently added a new chapter to the discussion. The Batteries Regulation, which entered into force in August 2023, made it mandatory to offer the ability to replace individual battery cells for e-bikes in future. This requirement has been removed in the latest amendment from the European Commission. European Cycling Industries (ECI) welcomes this change, but not everyone is happy.
BRUSSELS, Belgium - 19 environmental NGOs, consumer organisations, and tourism and mobility businesses have written a joint letter to urge the European Commission to harmonise charging systems for electric bicycles and other light means of transport (LMT). "The lack of standardisation of charging connectors is needlessly slowing Europe's green transformation," the group supported by the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) writes.
