New European Union Rules for Sustainable Mobile Devices Now in Effect

The EU’s new regulation makes mobile devices more durable, energy-efficient, and easier to repair.

On 20 June 2025, a new European Union (EU) regulation was rolled out. This sets ambitious standards for the design, energy efficiency, and repairability of smartphones, tablets, and cordless phones sold within the EU. These new requirements are part of a broader push toward sustainable consumption, longer product lifespans, and reduced environmental impact.

Making it easier for Europeans to fix or reuse smartphones and tablets instead of replacing them will help cut down on electronic waste, lower carbon emissions, and save consumers money.

Marie Baton
Senior Manager, CLASP

The European Commission (EC) expects these measures to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, save around 2.2 terawatt hours of electricity by 2030, and lower consumer costs by an estimated €20 billion.

Improving durability, battery life, and repairability

The rules are designed to improve product durability against drops, scratches, dust, and water. Batteries must be longer-lasting and endure at least 800 charge cycles while retaining 80% of their original capacity. To improve repairability, manufacturers are now required to provide key spare parts within five to ten working days and ensure their availability for at least seven years after a product model is discontinued. In addition, operating system updates must be made available for a minimum of five years following the sale of the last unit. To support independent repair, professionals will be granted fair access to the necessary software and firmware. The rules also include measures to promote device reuse, including requirements for easy deletion of personal data, as well as clear, accessible information on battery health.

Along with durability, repair, and reuse provisions, the new regulation introduces mandatory energy labeling for these devices. Labels will include energy efficiency ratings, battery performance metrics, and, for the first time, a repairability score ranging from A (most repairable) to E (least repairable), designed to help consumers make more informed, sustainable choices.

Understanding the Smartphones and Tablets Energy Label

Scale of energy efficiency classes from A to G.
The energy efficiency class of this product.
The battery endurance per cycle, in hours and minutes per full battery charge.
Repeated free fall reliability class.
Battery endurance in cycles.
Repairability class.
Ingress Protection rating.

Big wins for consumers and the climate

By making products more durable and easier to repair, the rules help extend product lifespan and reduce the need for critical raw materials. At the same time, specific requirements encourage recyclability, supporting efforts toward building a more circular economy.

The EC’s impact assessment estimates that the new regulation could lead to important annual reductions of carbon dioxide emissions (CO₂), reaching 3,5 megatons (Mt) in 2030 alone. CLASP’s analysis of the EC’s Impact Accounting study found that, over the longer term, cumulative CO₂ emissions reductions could reach 96 Mt by 2050. Should similar regulations improving the repairability of smartphones be adopted globally within the next five years, up to 1,500 Mt of CO₂ emissions can be avoided by 2050.

CLASP’s key contributions

CLASP’s research, carried out in collaboration with the Right to Repair coalition, highlighted the barriers consumers face when trying to repair their devices. The paper shed light on how certain manufacturer practices limit the ability of independent repairers and users to replace serialized parts.

As a result of the paper’s findings, the final regulation was updated to ensure that independent repair professionals and users can access all the tools and support needed to replace and connect key spare parts. This means repairs are no longer limited to manufacturer-approved service centers and represents a significant step toward fairer, more accessible product repair.

Opportunity for future improvements

While the EU regulation improves transparency, product durability, and technical repairs, there remain important opportunities to strengthen the rules in future revisions and unlock a more open and competitive repair system that further benefits people and the environment.

Currently, manufacturers must provide transparent pricing for spare parts and ensure fair access to the tools and software required for repairs. This transparency is a crucial first step but does not fully eliminate the risk of discriminatory practices. In many cases, the use of serialization allows manufacturers to control part compatibility and charge excessively high prices for replacements.

Serialization could be further restricted to open the market to third-party replacement parts. While the current requirements enable independent repairers and end-users to install key spare parts, manufacturers can still use a process called digital pairing, which limits or blocks parts that aren’t digitally recognized and authorized by the original manufacturer.

Banning serialization would give consumers the freedom to choose between parts from original manufacturers or alternatives from other suppliers. It would also help address concerns around high prices for spare parts.

As the EU market adapts to the new regulation, compliance and upcoming policy revisions will be key to ensuring that it delivers on its full potential for people and the planet, both within the EU and beyond. To support this, CLASP will seek opportunities to monitor industry practices and inform the upcoming assessment of these rules, planned for 2027.