New EU Smartphone Regulations go live: What manufacturers must do in 2025

Why the EU Is Pushing for Durable, Repairable and Energy-Efficient Phones

For years, smartphones and tablets have embodied a paradox: highly advanced devices, but designed for short lifespans. Cracked screens, failing batteries, and obsolete software often push consumers to replace perfectly functional devices far too soon. The result? Mountains of electronic waste, unnecessary resource consumption, and a missed opportunity for manufacturers to build long-term customer relationships.

The European Union is now turning this logic on its head.

On June 20, 2025, a new set of EU regulations came into force, setting the most ambitious standards ever for mobile devices. These rules mandate that smartphones and tablets placed on the EU market must be more durable, easier to repair, and more energy-efficient than ever before. For manufacturers, this marks a profound shift: linear business models that rely on constant hardware turnover are being replaced by circular strategies that extend product lifecycles — and open up new revenue streams.

This regulatory push is part of the EU’s Green Deal and its Circular Economy Action Plan. The message is clear: products sold in Europe should last longer, consume fewer resources, and give consumers real choices beyond “buy new or give up.” Circularity is no longer a niche — it’s becoming the new baseline for competitiveness.

The Key Requirements: Durability, Repairability, Transparency

The EU’s new rules don’t just set vague sustainability goals — they define clear, measurable standards that manufacturers must meet. Let’s break down the core requirements:

1️⃣ Tougher Durability Standards: Drop Tests, Water Protection, Battery Life

Devices that break at the first accidental drop are no longer acceptable. Under the new regulation, smartphones must survive at least 45 accidental drops without losing functionality. In addition, stricter standards apply to resistance against scratches, dust, and water ingress — making IP protection ratings (like IP67 or IP68) more relevant than ever.

Battery durability also gets a major upgrade: after 800 complete charge cycles, the battery must still retain at least 80% of its original capacity. This directly addresses one of the most common reasons for early device replacement — degraded batteries — and helps extend product lifespans significantly.

2️⃣ Real Repairability: Spare Parts, Software Access, and Disassembly

The EU is closing the loopholes that have long made smartphone repairs difficult or uneconomical. Key requirements include:

• Spare parts availability for 7 years after the model is no longer sold — with parts delivered within 5–10 working days.
• Non-discriminatory software access for professional repairers, ensuring firmware and diagnostic tools are available.
• Simplified disassembly procedures, so devices can actually be opened and repaired without damaging internal components.

In other words: repair is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s a built-in part of the product lifecycle.

3️⃣ Mandatory Software Updates: Fighting Planned Obsolescence

Hardware durability means little if software support lags behind. The regulation now requires manufacturers to provide operating system updates for at least 5 years after the last unit of a product model has been sold. Updates must maintain compatibility and ensure continued device performance throughout the entire support period.

This is a direct strike against planned obsolescence — and a clear signal to manufacturers: software must serve the user, not force upgrades.

4️⃣ Energy Labeling: A New Level of Transparency for Consumers

For the first time, smartphones and tablets must display an EU energy label, much like refrigerators or washing machines. This label includes:

• Energy efficiency rating (A–G scale)
• Battery endurance in real hours
• Drop resistance class
• Repairability score (A–E)
• Battery cycle stability
• IP protection rating
• QR code linking to full technical data

The repairability score in particular introduces powerful transparency into the market. Consumers can now compare products not only on price and specs — but on how easy they are to maintain and keep in use for years.

The New Repairability Score: How exactly does it work?

One of the most revolutionary elements of the new EU regulations is the introduction of a standardized Repairability Score. For manufacturers, this goes far beyond technical compliance — it’s a new kind of product reputation.

How the Repairability Score Is Calculated

The repairability score, developed by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC), evaluates several critical factors:

• Ease of disassembly: How quickly and safely can the device be opened without special tools or risk of damage?
• Tool requirements: Are common tools sufficient, or is proprietary equipment necessary?
• Availability of spare parts: How accessible and affordable are replacements for key components like batteries, screens, or charging ports?
• Access to repair information: Are repair manuals, software tools, and diagnostics openly available to authorized repairers?
• Cost transparency: Are spare part prices disclosed and reasonable?

The result: an A-to-E score clearly visible on the energy label, allowing customers to instantly compare repairability across brands and models.

Why This Matters for Consumer Trust and Resale Value

For consumers, the repairability score offers unprecedented transparency. It transforms repairability from vague marketing claims into hard data. Devices with high repairability ratings signal quality, longevity, and brand integrity — directly influencing purchasing decisions.

But there’s a second layer that many manufacturers overlook: resale value.

A highly repairable device holds its value longer in secondary markets. Trade-in platforms, certified refurbished programs, and third-party resellers will increasingly prioritize devices that are easy and cost-effective to repair. In a world where second-hand sales are growing rapidly, the repairability score will become a key driver of:

• Higher buy-back prices
• Longer product lifecycles
• Lower total cost of ownership for customers
• Brand positioning as a sustainability leader

In short: this label isn’t just a regulatory requirement — it’s a powerful business signal. Manufacturers that embrace repairability early can turn it into a competitive advantage across both primary and secondary markets.

The Business Opportunity Behind the New Rules

While some manufacturers may see these new regulations as a hurdle, the real opportunity lies in rethinking how value is created across the entire product lifecycle. Longer-lasting devices don’t just help the environment — they create multiple touchpoints to engage customers and generate revenue far beyond the initial sale.

Turn Extended Lifecycles Into New Revenue Streams

When devices stay functional for years, buy-back and resale programs become powerful strategic tools. Instead of losing customers after a single transaction, brands can offer trade-in programs that bring products back into their own ecosystem. Returned devices, once refurbished, can serve new customer groups or open up price segments that were previously out of reach.

• Trade-ins encourage upgrades while keeping customers loyal.
• Certified pre-owned devices open new sales channels.
• Refurbishment generates attractive margins with lower production costs.

With every loop, companies extend customer relationships and increase lifetime value. The product may physically change hands, but the brand relationship continues to grow.

Control the Second-Hand Market — Or Lose It

The secondary market for smartphones and tablets is booming. Transparent repairability scores will only accelerate this trend, as consumers and third-party resellers can more easily assess device quality. If manufacturers don’t claim ownership of this market themselves, others will. Third-party platforms are already capturing resale value that could remain inside the brand.

By actively managing take-back and resale channels, companies retain control over:

• Product quality standards
• Customer experience
• Pricing power
• Brand reputation
• Access to valuable customer data

In a more transparent, repairable world, control of the second-hand market becomes a core business strategy — not a side activity.

Reduce Returns, Strengthen Warranty Management

Durability also improves the bottom line on the cost side. When devices are built to survive drops, resist water damage, and maintain battery health for years, the number of early failures drops sharply. This means:

• Fewer warranty claims
• Lower returns
• Reduced reverse logistics costs

In the long run, higher build quality doesn’t just reduce headaches — it protects profit margins.

Who Is Affected: Which Devices Fall Under the New EU Rules?

The new regulations apply to a broad range of mobile devices — but not to every product on the market. Manufacturers need to be clear whether their portfolio falls under the scope.

The rules cover:

• Smartphones (with screens between 4 and 7 inches)
• Feature phones (basic mobile phones without app ecosystems)
• Cordless phones (landline models with base stations)
• Slate tablets (7 to 17.4-inch screens, no detachable keyboard, running iOS or Android)

Excluded from the regulation are:

• Tablets with detachable keyboards (typically Windows-based)
• Devices with flexible or rollable displays
• Specialized smartphones for high-security communications

For most mainstream manufacturers targeting European consumers, this means the majority of standard smartphones and tablets are now fully regulated. Niche devices may remain outside the scope — for now.

What Companies Should Do Now

The regulatory timeline is no longer theoretical — it’s here. And while compliance is mandatory, companies that move early can turn these changes into a competitive edge.

Early compliance creates brand advantage

Consumers increasingly value transparency and long-term usability. Devices with high repairability scores and visible energy labels will stand out on crowded shelves. Early movers can position themselves as leaders in durability, trust, and sustainability — all factors that influence purchase decisions.

Build circular business models — now

The real business opportunity goes far beyond meeting minimum standards. Manufacturers who design take-back, refurbishment, and certified resale programs today are setting themselves up for:

• Ongoing customer touchpoints
• Higher lifetime revenue per product
• Stronger control of secondary markets

Circularity is no longer a side project — it’s quickly becoming a core growth strategy.

Partner up to scale repair, refurbishment, and resale

No company needs to handle every step alone. The most successful circular models build ecosystems: certified repair partners, reverse logistics providers, refurbishment specialists, and digital platforms that track devices across multiple lifecycles. Building the right partnerships now allows companies to scale up circular operations efficiently — and profitably.

This Is Just the Start: The EU’s Bigger Circular Electronics Agenda

The new rules for smartphones and tablets are not a one-off. They are part of a much larger strategy by the European Union to systematically reshape how products are designed, used, and recovered across multiple industries. Electronics are simply one of the first sectors where circular principles are now being fully translated into binding regulation.

Under the broader Circular Economy Action Plan, the EU is preparing similar measures for other product categories — from household appliances and industrial machinery to furniture and textiles. The core philosophy remains the same: extend product lifespans, make repairs feasible, reduce resource extraction, and keep value circulating within the economy instead of being lost as waste.

For companies, this means one thing: the shift toward circularity is accelerating. Regulations like these aren’t isolated events. They’re building a new market reality where repairability, durability, and secondary market ownership will become default expectations — not differentiators.

The manufacturers who act early don’t just gain first-mover advantage. They also build the operational experience, partner networks, and data capabilities that will be increasingly valuable as these principles expand across industries.

In short: if you can master circular models with smartphones, you’re building the playbook for your entire product portfolio.