Under the European Green Deal, the European Commission presented in March 2020 a New Circular Economy Action Plan, in which it announced a circular electronics initiative that would promote longer product lifetimes and include, among others, the following actions:

• regulatory measures for electronics and ICT including mobile phones, tablets and laptops under the Ecodesign Directive;
• implementation of the ‘right to repair’, including a right to update obsolete software;
• regulatory measures on chargers for mobile phones and similar devices (including the introduction of a common charger);
• improvement of the collection and treatment of waste electrical and electronic equipment;
• review of EU rules on restrictions of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

In the Commission work programme for 2021, published on 19 October 2020, the non-legislative initiative was announced for the fourth quarter of the year.

In its resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan, the European Parliament supported the Circular Electronics Initiative, which should address the shortcomings in durability, circular design, presence of hazardous and harmful substances, recycled content, reparability, access to spare parts, upgradability, e-waste prevention, collection, reuse and recycling. It also called for the integration of issues linked to early obsolescence including product obsolescence caused by software changes, and for the harmonisation and improvement of recycling infrastructure for waste electrical and electronic equipment in the EU. It asked for a mandatory certification scheme for recyclers of electronics waste to guarantee efficient material recovery and environmental protection.

The European Commission adopted on 16 June 2023 measures to ensure that mobile phones and tablets are designed to be energy efficient and durable; consumers can easily repair, upgrade and maintain them; it is possible to reuse and recycle the devices (see separate file in Train 2 - Design requirements and consumer rights for electronics). 

The Commission put forward a proposal for a common charger for electronic devices on 23 September 2021. The legislative process is now completed, with the final act signed on 23 November 2022 and published in the EU Official Journal as Directive (EU) 2022/2380 (see separate file in Train 2). In the Commission work programme for 2022, adopted on 19 October 2021, the revision of EU rules restricting the use of hazardous substances in electronics was announced for the last quarter of 2022 (see separate file in Train 1).

In March 2023, the Commission tabled a proposal for a directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods ('right to repair'). The co-legislators found a provisional agreement on the file on 2 February 2024. Following formal adoption by the Parliament and the Council, the final act was signed on 13 June 2024 and published in the EU Official Journal (see separate file in Train 1).

References:

• European Commission, A New Circular Economy Action Plan for a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe, COM(2020)98
• European Commission, Commission work programme 2021. A Union of vitality in a world of fragility, COM(2020) 690 final, with Annexes
• European Commission, Commission work programme 2022. Making Europe stronger together, 19 October 2021
• European Commission, Inception impact assessment on the environmental impact of mobile phones and tablets, 23 December 2020
• European Parliament, Resolution of 10 February 2021 on the New Circular Economy Action Plan, 2020/2077(INI)

Author: Vivienne Halleux, Members' Research Service, legislative-train@europarl.europa.eu

Visit the European Parliament homepage on circular economy.