EU decision: From 2027, cell phone batteries must be replaceable

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The EU has decided that batteries for devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops will be replaceable by users themselves. The new requirements will be applied from 2027 at the latest, EU member states announced Monday in Brussels. Negotiators from the member states and the European Parliament had previously negotiated a corresponding compromise, which has now been confirmed. Meanwhile, the document has been signed by the EU Council.

The new regulations aim to improve the circular economy. Batteries will be collected and recycled at the end of their service life. Sixty-three percent will be by 2027, 73 percent by 2030, and minimum quantities of recycled lead, cobalt, lithium, and nickel will apply from 2031 if, for example, batteries for electric vehicles were newly produced.

The decision stems from a proposal by the EU Commission, which the authority presented in December 2020. From raw material extraction to recycling, batteries in the EU are to become more environmentally friendly. The aim is also to increase the service life of batteries and to ensure compliance with social and ecological standards in extracting critical raw materials such as lithium or cobalt.