New EU rules will make smartphones and tablets last longer and easier to repair – but true ‘right to repair’ still far

Last week, experts representing EU Member States rubberstamped the ecodesign requirements proposed by the European Commission that will apply to phones (smartphones, mobile phones, cordless phones) and tablets [1]. 

New rules are meant to reduce the environmental impact of phones and tablets. They will include durability requirements, and aim to improve the repairability and reliability of these devices. This will be the first time that such rules apply to this category of products, setting the tone for future regulation on other ICT products such as computers and printers.

Additionally, in December, the expert group will decide on the introduction of a label on smartphones and tablets. Such a label is expected to include a repair score and comparative information on the reliability of these devices. 

Highlights in new rules for smartphones and tablets

In terms of repairability, rules will force manufacturers to give access to repair and maintenance information and spare parts to professional repairers and end-users for at least 7 years after retiring a product from the market. Software updates will also have to be made available for at least 5 years after retiring a product from the market. In terms of reliability, smartphones will have to survive at least 45 accidental drops before losing functionality and retain at least 80% of a battery’s capacity after 800 charging cycles.

However, the near final version of the agreed text obtained by the Right to Repair Coalition lacks the ambition needed to grant people a universal right to repair and reach the objectives of the Green Deal.  [3]  

Right to Repair campaigners are concerned that the final rules will not prevent manufacturers from using software practices to limit independent repair. The high price of spare parts will not be tackled either. Finally, the range of spare parts available to consumers and community repair initiatives will be seriously limited. 

Mathieu Rama, Programme Manager, Environmental Coalition on Standards (ECOS), said: 

Today, smartphones and tablets hardly ever last more than 2 years. We expect the new ecodesign rules will make our devices last much longer, but time will tell. For example, consumers will be able to replace their batteries with the help of a professional repairer and, in some cases, even do it on their own. However, new rules are not perfect. The EU has not gone so far as to grant people a true right to repair: manufacturers and retailers will still keep control of who repairs their devices through part pairing.

Orla Butler, Associate Policy Officer for Circular Economy, European Environmental Bureau (EEB), said: 

Whilst certain improvements were made to the final text, the delays and weakened rules overall continue to disappoint. Especially disappointing is the removal of manufacturers’ obligations to display and adhere to a maximum price of spare parts. With skyrocketing living costs, consumers must be able to repair their devices affordably. Policymakers must, more important now than ever, protect consumers by making spare parts pricing transparent through the new repair score, which will be finalised in December.

Ugo Vallauri, Co-Director, The Restart Project said:

Europeans want a universal Right to Repair their smartphones and tablets. Regrettably, that’s not what they’re getting with this long-awaited regulation. For the first time spare parts, repair information and software updates will have to be made available long-term. Yet, the rules fail to address repair’s affordability, the need for end-users and community repair initiatives to access all spare parts, and the use of software by manufacturers to limit the use of reused and third-party parts. We’ll continue to denounce such practices and to ask the EU to remove all remaining barriers to repair.