The European Commission updates EU battery regulations by carving out exemptions from rules that would have required some products to include “easily removable and replaceable” batteries by users. Reporting across multiple outlets says the change applies to devices such as the Apple Watch, along with other categories of wearable technology. The earlier requirement was tied to Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1670, which the Commission had proposed to enforce by ensuring consumers could remove and replace batteries without specialized tools or service.
According to the sources, the Commission now “walks back” that approach for certain device types, meaning manufacturers are not required to meet the user-removal and replacement standard for the exempted products. In addition to the Apple Watch, the revised scope reportedly includes other wearables such as Meta’s glasses and Apple’s AirPods, as well as a small set of other non-wearable device categories.
The update indicates the Commission is refining implementation of the battery rules, adjusting which products must comply with consumer battery serviceability requirements while leaving broader battery-related policy goals intact.
