Energy efficiency under control: the EU will update smartphone labeling
24 April 18:35
The European Union has announced the introduction of new eco-design requirements for smartphones, mobile phones, wireless phones and tablets entering the EU market. This was reported by the European Commission, "Komersant Ukrainian" informs.
The new requirements will apply to products entering the EU market from June 20, 2025.
The eco-design requirements will include:
– resistance to accidental drops or scratches and protection against dust and water;
– sufficiently long-lasting batteries that can withstand at least 800 charging and discharging cycles while maintaining at least 80% of their original capacity;
– rules for disassembly and repair, including the obligation of manufacturers to provide critical spare parts within 5-10 business days and for 7 years after the end of the product model’s sale in the EU market;
– availability of operating system updates for a longer period of time (at least 5 years from the date of the last unit of the product model being placed on the market);
– non-discriminatory access for professional repairers to any software or firmware required for replacement.
New “energy labels” will also be required on smartphones and tablets.
Smartphones and tablets will be required to display information about their energy efficiency, battery life, dust and water protection, and resistance to accidental drops. This is also the first time that a product placed on the EU market must have a repairability rating.
1. The scale of energy efficiency classes is from A to G. 2. The energy efficiency class of this product. 3. Battery life per cycle, in hours and minutes on a full battery charge. 4. Reliability class for repeated free fall. 5. Battery endurance in cycles. 6. Maintainability class. 7. Intrusion protection rating.
This energy labeling will help consumers in the EU make a more informed and environmentally friendly choice when purchasing goods.
The European Commission also reported that in 2020, 687 million phones and tablets were used in the EU, an average of 1.5 devices per person. Of these, 55% were smartphones, 19% tablets, 16% wireless (landline) phones and 10% other mobile phones.
