EU smartphone repair compliance gaps persist despite mandatory regulations

EU repairability rules require user-replaceable batteries by February 2027 but 80% of new smartphones since June 2025 lack repair information websites

Right to Repair Europe reports 80% of new smartphones launched in the EU since June 2025 lack repair information websites. Of 2,334 models surveyed last year, only 18% list spare parts prices or repair instructions, while 50% show blank fields for repair URLs in official registries and 19% contain no repair guidance. Smartphone manufacturers self-report 'class A' repairability scores despite non-compliance with EU requirements that became mandatory in June 2025. The European Commission has not publicly responded to Right to Repair Europe's findings. These gaps directly undermine the EU's repairability regulations, which require user-replaceable batteries starting February 2027 (with exceptions for wearables). Self-assigned repair scores lack independent verification, and the Commission has not yet commented on the findings. This erodes repair access as required by EU regulations that mandate user-replaceable batteries by February 2027.

Source: The Register