Starting February 18, 2027, every smartphone and tablet sold in the EU must feature a battery that users can remove and replace without specialist assistance. The regulation, approved in 2023, obliges manufacturers to design portable devices so that a simple, commercially available tool suffices. This marks the first continent‑wide mandate for user‑serviceable power cells across all price segments.

Replacement packs must stay on the market for at least five years after the final unit of a model is sold, ensuring long‑term support. Officials estimate the measure could save European consumers up to €20 billion by 2030 while cutting the roughly 5 million tonnes of e‑waste generated annually from 150 million phones and 24 million tablets, of which under 40 % is properly recycled, and promote a circular economy.

The law also requires that any necessary specialised tools be supplied free of charge with the device, and that batteries meet durability standards to resist wear. Combined with the EU’s earlier USB‑C charging rule and a five‑year software‑update guarantee, consumers will finally be able to swap batteries themselves, lowering costs and extending device lifespans for both personal and professional use.