No. 486: Political and regulatory approaches to extend the life cycle of smartphones
In the course of an increasing environmental and sustainability awareness, the topic of circular econ-omy increasingly attracts notice of public and political debates in the telecommunications sector. With a view to end-user equipment smartphones and tablets are highly relevant in this context: On the one hand, they contain valuable and scarce raw materials, on the other hand, they are often used for a comparatively short time and are rarely repaired.
Durability and repairability by design are particularly crucial for a long life cycle. At the same time, consumers must be willing and able to give preference to sustainable smartphones when making pur-chasing decisions, to have defective products repaired, and to use devices for as long as possible or, alternatively, to put them to a second use.
The discussion paper at hand deals with regulatory and political approaches in Germany, other EU-Member States, the USA, and at European level, which aim to extend the life cycle of smartphones.
Our particular focus is on the measures planned by the EU Commission within the framework of the implementation of the new Circular Economy Action Plan adopted in March 2020. Among the most important measures specifically addressing smartphones and tablets are the drafts of the EU Com-mission for a regulation laying down ecodesign requirements for mobile phones, cordless phones and slate tablets and for a delegated regulation with regard to the energy labelling of smartphones and slate tablets published at the end of August 2022. Thereby, the Commission initiates important corner stones to further repairments and extend the life cycle of smartphones.
