European Parliament wants to ban firmly glued batteries in smartphones

The European Parliament wants to ban the firmly gluing of batteries in smartphones in the coming years. Parliament has adopted a proposal on this subject with a large majority. Consultation with Member States now follows.

Under the new rules, consumers should be able to easily and safely replace batteries in new smartphones from 2024, Parliament said. Firmly gluing batteries, as market leader Samsung does, among others, should no longer be allowed. It is unknown whether the way in which Apple, among others, does it, sealing the case and parts with non-standard screws, falls under the definition of ‘easy and safe’.

The aim of the measures is to make it easier to recycle batteries and thereby make Europe less dependent on other countries for raw materials. In addition, batteries play an important role in the energy transition and it is important to support Right to Repair, say MEPs.

The rules will not only apply to smartphones, but also to e-bikes and electric scooters, for example. In addition, manufacturers must map the supply chain and the associated risks. Many batteries have raw materials that often come from one or more countries and these can be conflict zones.

The proposal received 567 votes in favour, while 67 MEPs voted against and 40 MEPs did not vote. The proposal is therefore the starting point for negotiations with Member States to make the rules legislation. As a result, it is still unknown what the final rules will look like.