TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The European Union’s battery regulation, set to take effect on February 17, 2027, has once again garnered attention amid the perception that it will require mobile phone manufacturers to offer “recyclable” batteries, similar to those found in older devices. However, this interpretation is considered less accurate.
The regulation, first released in 2023 and updated in 2025, aims to reduce waste by encouraging manufacturers to design devices that are easier to repair and have replaceable batteries. However, not all devices are required to have easily removable batteries.
In an official document, the EU explains the definition of removable batteries. “A portable battery should be considered to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it,” as quoted from the 9to5Google report, April 21, 2026.
This provision means that many modern phones are unlikely to fall into this category, as they generally still require heat to loosen adhesives when opening the device. According to the regulation’s definition, the batteries in the latest flagship phones may not necessarily be considered “removable.”
Nevertheless, the regulation also provides flexibility through battery performance standards. Devices are still considered compliant even if they do not have easily removable batteries, as long as they meet certain durability criteria. “(a) after 500 full charge cycles the battery has, in a fully charged state, a remaining capacity of at least 83 percent of the rated capacity; (b) the battery endurance in cycles achieves a minimum of 1 000 full charge cycles and after 1 000 full charge cycles the battery has, in a fully charged state, a remaining capacity of at least 80 percent of the rated capacity; (c) the device meets IP67 rating.“
With these provisions, many phones currently in circulation are considered to have met the standards, so manufacturers such as Samsung and Google may not need to make major changes to their device designs.
Overall, this regulation focuses more on improving device durability and repairability than on reverting to the removable battery design found in older phones.
Read: Ultra-Large Smartphone Batteries Expected to Exceed 10,001 mAh Next Year
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