Credit: Scott Scrivens / Android Authority
- The European Council has ended its adoption procedure for rules related to phones with replaceable batteries.
- By 2027, all phones released in the EU must have a battery the user can easily replace with no tools or expertise.
- The regulation intends to introduce a circular economy for batteries.
In the middle of June, we shared a news report about the future of replaceable batteries in smartphones. That report focused on the European Parliament voting to enact a law forcing manufacturers of all battery-powered devices — including smartphones — to offer easily replaceable batteries.
This week, the European Council officially agreed to the new regulation. Now, the only step left is for the European Council and Parliament to sign on the dotted line. Once they do, the clock starts ticking: any manufacturer wanting to sell phones in the EU must ensure those phones have replaceable batteries by 2027.