EU smartphone models fail repairability regulations

An analysis by the Right to Repair Europe coalition reveals that 80% of smartphone models marketed in the European Union fail to comply with community regulations regarding repair information. After reviewing 2,334 smartphone models introduced over the last year, the coalition found that only approximately 18% provided effective links to repair instructions or spare part pricing.

Under EU requirements effective as of June 20, 2025, mobile phones and tablets must feature a repairability rating from A to E on their energy labels and manufacturers must provide free access to repair information. However, the study noted that in nearly half of the analyzed EPREL database entries, the required link fields were left empty. Another 19% of entries directed users to product or technical support pages lacking the necessary details, while 8% provided useless directions such as ‘see manual’. Additionally, about 5% of entries referred users to third-party platforms like Temu or AliExpress for instructions.

The coalition also raised concerns regarding ‘greenwashing,’ noting that some manufacturers grant themselves the highest ‘A’ repairability rating despite failing to provide the required information, as these ratings are self-declared.