Get the Lowdown on EU's New Smartphone Energy Label: Durability, Repairability, & More!
Mandatory Energy Ratings for Smartphones and Tablets Across the EU - Mandatory EU energy rating for smartphones and tablets to take effect soon
Attention all tech enthusiasts! Starting June 20, 2025, smartphones gracing the EU market will come with a shiny new accessory – an energy label. But this ain't your typical label; it spills the beans on energy efficiency, battery life, resistance to dust and moisture, and robustness against drops.
The label's aim? Help you, the consumer, make well-informed, eco-friendly purchasing decisions. You'll be able to compare different devices like a pro before dropping some cash. On top of that, manufacturers will also be subject to new eco-design standards, ensuring that their products meet higher durability, sustainability, and repairability requirements.
So, what exactly will this label provide?
- Energy Efficiency Rating: A rating for how efficiently the device uses energy.
- Battery Lifespan: Tested battery endurance results, akin to what tech reviewers use.
- Durability: Ratings for drop resistance, resistance to dust and water, and physical toughness.
- Repairability: A score reflecting how easy it is to repair the device, including the availability of spare parts.
- Additional Durability Metrics: Like battery lifespan, each device's durability gets measured and showcased.
Now, let's talk about the eco-design standards. These new regulations aim to make devices more resilient, offer longer-lasting batteries, and provide extended software support and upgradability features to promote device longevity. Moreover, manufacturers will be expected to design their products for easier repairability and maintenance to reduce waste and encourage device longevity.
In a nutshell, the EU’s mandatory energy label and ecodesign rules for smartphones combine multiple metrics on energy use, durability, repairability, and sustainability to foster a more circular economy and decrease environmental impact across the lifecycle of these devices. On the upside, this pushes smartphone manufacturers to craft longer-lasting, more sustainable gadgets, and gives you—the consumer—the power to make greener choices in the EU market.
Sources:
- [1] Environmental Investigation Agency. (2022). EU adopts first energy-efficiency and ecodesign requirements for smartphones. Retrieved from https://www.eia-global.org/newsroom/eu-adopts-first-energy-efficiency-and-ecodesign-requirements-for-smartphones/
- [2] European Commission. (2022). Energy Label for Smartphones and Tablets. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/energy/efficiency/labels-ranking-systems/energy-label-smartphones-and-tablets_en
- [3] International Energy Agency. (2022). The IEA welcomes new EU energy efficiency requirements for smartphones. Retrieved from https://www.iea.org/news/the-iesa-welcomes-new-eu-energy-efficiency-requirements-for-smartphones
- [4] Greenpeace. (2022). Europe Adopts New Legislation to Make Electronics More Sustainable. Retrieved from https://www.greenpeace.org/international/global-news/2022/electronics-sustainability-legislation/
- [5] ZDNet. (2022). EU regulations to make smartphones more durable, repairable, and sustainable. Retrieved from https://www.zdnet.com/article/eu-regulations-to-make-smartphones-more-durable-repairable-and-sustainable/
- The new energy label for smartphones in the EU will allow consumers to compare the repairability of various devices while making informed, eco-friendly purchasing decisions, as the label includes a score reflecting the ease of repair.
- With the new energy label and eco-design standards for smartphones in the EU, consumers can look forward to seeing improved durability, sustainability, and repairability in their gadgets, as manufacturers are expected to design products that offer increased resistance to damage, longer-lasting batteries, and easier maintenance to reduce electronic waste.
