Ecodesign for Smartphones Now in Effect: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Today, the European Union’s Ecodesign requirements for smartphones & tablets take effect. And they’re… fine. While the new rules do improve things, they are ultimately watered down by compromise and loopholes.  

First, the good things. The new requirements will hopefully bring 7-year spare parts availability, 5-year software updates, and transparent repairability information on the EU’s Energy Label. That’s genuinely good progress that will help extend device lifespans and give repair shops better access to components.

But even in the regulation as officially published, the support for self-repair didn’t go very far. Then at the very last moment,  a “corrective act” effectively removed requirements for user-replaceable displays. You know, the single most commonly broken part on any smartphone. Now you will be able to buy a replacement screen, but you’re not enabled to install it yourself. Make that make sense.

How Ecodesign for Smartphones Got Weakened at the Last Second

In April, with the entry-into-force date looming, the Commission floated a corrective act to “tidy up” the text. Buried in the clean-up: a subtle edit resolving a duplicate reference in a way that removes displays from the list of parts that must be replaceable by a layperson with basic tools. Right to Repair Europe called the move “incoherent,” pointing out that several manufacturers already ship phones designed for simple screen swaps.

Despite this fierce feedback, the correction sailed through, just days before the entry into force of the regulation. We’re left with a law that still demands replacement screens, but lets brands glue and hide them from customers, repair cafes, and anyone else who isn’t a professional repairer in a workshop environment. 

What Changes Today (and What’s Still Missing)

So, what requirements actually come into force today? Here’s the short summary:

• Longer software support. Manufacturers now have to deliver security updates within four months of release (six months for functional updates) and keep them coming for five years. That’s in line with our plea to use your phone for at least five years.
• Better parts availability, more quickly. Batteries, cameras, speakers, ports, and 10 other “critical” modules must be shipped to professional repairers within five days (in the first five years of a device’s life, then within 10 days for the next two years). End-users get access to a much more limited selection of parts (back cover, battery, SIM tray, and charger) and have to wait 10 days for delivery. Furthermore, they have to be available for at least seven years. 
• No further clarity on what makes parts prices “reasonable.” The price of replacement parts was addressed by the Right to Repair directive, but the definition of “reasonable price” in that legislation is still up for debate.
• Repairability and durability labels. A new score on the Energy Label tells shoppers how drop-proof and repairable a device is, making repairability more transparent at the point of sale. Additionally, the label now includes information on the IP rating and battery longevity. Though iFixit’s always in support of repairability information at the point of sale, we don’t love that this new EU score is missing some important parts of what makes devices actually repairable. Parts pricing, for instance, isn’t considered at all, even though most consumers say price is the most important criterion for choosing whether to repair something. The French repair index, which the EU index now replaces, included parts pricing. The 5-point scale also obscures a lot of variance. So it is in some degree a step backwards.
• Self-repair? Still lacking. Longevity and waterproofness requirements can be used as a loophole against self-repair options. At the same time, the number of spare parts available to end-users is limited compared to professional repairs. And that’s all before taking into account the “corrective act”.
• Parts pairing? Wishy-washy. The regulation mentions parts pairing, but doesn’t outright ban it. Instead, manufacturers are required to provide professional repairers with access to software tools. Again, self-repair is being hindered.

Where we go from here

These regulations represent real progress wrapped in unnecessary restrictions and caveats. They’ll hopefully help extend device lifespans and improve professional repair access, but they maintain artificial barriers to consumer repair that lead to several major pain points, like parts pairing and ease of repair procedures for end-users, being left unaddressed.

The smartphone industry convinced EU regulators that letting people fix their own screens was somehow infeasible, and that waterproof phones with replaceable batteries were technically impossible. But members of the iFixit community fix their own screens for the first time every day all over the world, and phones with user-replaceable batteries and better IP ratings than current-day flagships have existed since at least 2019.

What happens next matters. These rules, alongside other Right to Repair legislation in the US and EU, will influence global smartphone design, and they establish precedents for future electronics regulations. Manufacturers have already begun to comply: Apple announced seven years of iPhone part availability in 2022, thanks almost certainly to this impending legislation. But if we don’t push back against further industry capture and demand robust enforcement, this becomes a template for fake repair rights—giving consumers the appearance of repair protections while keeping the control in the manufacturer’s hands.

This means that the fight for real repair rights isn’t over. We’ll keep pushing for more ambitious requirements that go beyond just singular product categories, which is why we are a proud member of Right to Repair Europe. If you want to support the fight, consider donating to the group’s efforts.