One year into the EU's repairability rules for smartphones and tablets, more than 80 percent of devices still lack the necessary repair information, Right to Repair Europe reports. Of 2,334 smartphone model records from the last year, only about 18 percent list a website with spare parts prices or repair instructions. Half have blank URL fields, and 19 percent point to pages without relevant repair details.

Some manufacturers direct users to Temu or Ali Express for parts. Despite non-compliance, many award themselves top repairability scores. For major brands like Apple and Samsung, finding repair info requires extra clicks.

The repair score and link should appear on energy efficiency labels, but are often missing in stores and online. Right to Repair Europe questions the effectiveness of self-assigned scores and lack of enforcement. No public authority appears to be verifying the declared data, as thousands of blank fields go unnoticed.

Thomas Opsomer of iFixit's EU policy team said the obligation for spare parts prices and repair manuals is a step forward but needs better enforcement. He urged manufacturers to publish full documentation behind their scores and make it easier to report non-compliance. New rules in February will require user-replaceable batteries in mobile devices, with exceptions for wearables.