The regulation aims to reduce the environmental impact of smartphones, tablets, and cordless phones placed on the EU market by introducing minimum durability, reparability, and energy-saving requirements.
These regulations are part of the European Green Deal, helping consumers make more sustainable and informed choices.
Main Points
- Ecodesign Regulation (implementing Directive 2009/125/EC) focuses on product design for durability and repairability.
- Energy Labelling Regulation helps consumers quickly compare products based on energy efficiency, battery life, resistance (dust, water, drops), and repairability scores.
Key Ecodesign Requirements (Smartphones, Feature Phones, Cordless Phones, Slate Tablets)
Starting June 20, 2025:
- Durability: Devices must resist drops, scratches, dust, and water.
- Battery Life: Batteries must last at least 800 charge/discharge cycles with 80% capacity retention.
- Repairability:
- Manufacturers must supply critical spare parts within 5-10 working days.
- Parts must remain available for 7 years after the product stops being sold.
- Professional repairers must have non-discriminatory access to necessary software and firmware.
- Software Support: Operating system upgrades must be available for at least 5 years after selling the last unit.
- No cheating: Devices must not alter performance during testing.
Energy Labelling Requirements (Smartphones and Slate Tablets)
Also starting June 20, 2025:
- Mandatory new energy labels must show:
- Energy efficiency
- Battery longevity
- Dust/water resistance
- Drop resistance
- Repairability score
- Consumers can scan a QR code on the label for more detailed data via the EPREL database.
Devices Covered
✅ Smartphones (4–7″ screens)
✅ Feature phones (basic mobile phones, no apps)
✅ Cordless phones (landline, with base station)
✅ Slate tablets (7–17.4″ screens, no keyboard, Android/iOS)
Not Covered:
❌ Tablet computers (Windows-based, detachable keyboard)
❌ Rollable/flexible display devices
❌ High-security communication smartphones
Expected Benefits by 2030
- Energy Savings:
- 2.2 TWh/year saved (≈0.09% of EU27 electricity use)
- Equivalent to saving 10 kWh per household yearly
- Cost Savings:
- €20 billion total user savings
- €98 per household on average
- Environmental Impact:
- Longer device lifetime (e.g., mid-range smartphone use extended from 3.0 to 4.1 years)
- Fewer devices produced and sold = lower production emissions.
Manufacturers must:
- Provide printed and electronic energy labels.
- Enter product data into the EU database (EPREL).
- Include energy class information in advertising and promotional material.
- Provide printed product sheets upon dealer request.
In short:
From June 2025, if you buy a smartphone or tablet in the EU, you’ll see a new energy label showing not just energy efficiency but also how durable, repairable, and long-lasting it is. This will help you choose better products that last longer, cost less, and harm the environment less.
