EU Smartphone Battery Rules: Removable Batteries Not Mandatory by 2027 — What’s Really Changing?

On April 8, 2026, the French fact-checking website L’Avenir published an article clarifying that removable batteries will not become mandatory for smartphones in Europe starting in 2027, countering widespread reports suggesting otherwise.

The clarification follows a series of conflicting reports from French media outlets in early April 2026. CNews reported on April 10 that changes to mobile phone regulations would take effect in 2027, while 01net.com stated on April 9 that Europe would impose removable batteries on all smartphones from that year, albeit with exceptions. IPhon.fr questioned on April 8 whether the iPhone would be affected by such a rule, and Presse-citron reported on April 11 that manufacturers would either have to comply with the law or meet two specific criteria to avoid compliance.

To verify the actual status of European Union regulations regarding smartphone batteries, journalists consulted the official text of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, adopted by the European Parliament and Council on July 12, 2023, concerning batteries and waste batteries. This regulation, which entered into force on August 18, 2023, establishes sustainability requirements for batteries placed on the EU market.

Article 11 of Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 addresses the removability and replaceability of portable batteries. It stipulates that, starting January 1, 2027, portable batteries incorporated into appliances must be readily removable and replaceable by the end-user, where necessary for the product’s function, using commonly available tools, without requiring specialized equipment, unless the battery is needed to ensure the product’s safety, performance, or medical function.

Crucially, the regulation defines “appliances” in Article 3(12) as devices such as vacuum cleaners, microwaves, and electric tools, explicitly excluding smartphones and other information and communication technology devices. Smartphones fall under the category of “portable batteries” as defined in Article 3(10), which are batteries sealed within equipment and not designed for user removal.

Further clarification is provided in Annex II, Section 2.1, which specifies that the removability requirements apply to batteries in light means of transport (such as e-bikes and e-scooters) and appliances, but not to batteries in smartphones, laptops, or tablets, where safety, performance, or design integrity may be compromised by user removal.

smartphones are not subject to the mandatory removable battery requirement set to take effect in 2027 under the EU Batteries Regulation. Manufacturers are not required to design smartphones with user-removable batteries by that date, nor are they subject to penalties for non-compliance on this specific criterion.

The European Commission has not announced any plans to amend the regulation to include smartphones in the removability mandate. Officials from the Directorate-General for Environment, responsible for implementing the regulation, have not issued public statements indicating a change in scope for smartphone batteries.

Industry representatives from DigitalEurope, the trade association representing the digital technology industry in Europe, confirmed that their members interpret the current regulation as excluding smartphones from the removability requirement. They noted that efforts are instead focused on meeting the regulation’s recycling efficiency targets, material recovery goals, and carbon footprint declarations for batteries, which do apply to smartphone batteries.

No official clarification has been issued by the European Commission, the European Parliament, or the Council of the European Union to correct the misunderstanding that has circulated in French and international tech media regarding smartphone batteries and the 2027 deadline.

As of April 12, 2026, the regulation remains unchanged, and no legislative procedure is underway to extend the removability requirement to smartphones. The next scheduled review of the regulation is set for 2028, in accordance with Article 70, which mandates an evaluation every five years.