Glued and permanently installed batteries in smartphones, headphones, e-bikes and other devices are to be banned in the EU. According to the plan, customers will be able to replace the battery much more easily from as early as 2023. The manufacturers think nothing of it.
EU Parliament: Glued batteries should be banned
The European Parliament wants Permanently installed and glued batteries in electrical devices ban from 2023. According to a draft law that has now been approved by Parliament, batteries in mobile phones, notebooks and headphones should be easy to replace. E-scooters, e-bikes and electric toothbrushes would also be affected. Manufacturers should also be obliged to make replacement batteries available longer.
The declared goal is to ensure greater sustainability. Customers should be able to replace a defective or no longer powerful battery easily and safely themselves. According to the plan, no more than commercially available tools should have to be used. The new rules should come into effect on January 1, 2023. The EU Council of Ministers still has to approve the project.
In addition, the Percentage of recycled raw materials in batteries rise. Lithium, nickel, cobalt and lead should have a recycling rate of 90 percent by 2026. A European deposit system is to be set up for this purpose (source: FAZ).
The battery in the Fairphone 4 can already be easily replaced:
Easy battery replacement: Manufacturers are not happy
When it comes to the right to repair, smartphone manufacturers have one different perspective than the EU. They sometimes cite absurd security concerns. According to Samsung, replaceable batteries would lead to thicker smartphones, which also break down even faster. In addition, an EU version would have to be developed for each product, which could drive up prices. Apple, on the other hand, is no longer fighting back as much and now offers original parts, tools and repair instructions.