European Commission Exempts Wearables From Battery-Removal Rule

The European Commission has narrowed one of the more consumer-visible parts of its Batteries Regulation. In a note published on 14 July 2026, the Commission said it had adopted a delegated act adding six new product categories to the list of devices that do not have to be designed so that consumers can remove and replace their portable batteries themselves.

The new carve-outs cover wearable devices such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, electric toys, and equipment falling under the ATEX Directive, which is Europe's regime for gear used in explosive atmospheres, so explosion-proof motors, sensors, pumps and forklift trucks. Existing exemptions for medical devices and what the Commission calls 'wet appliances', including electric toothbrushes and water flossers, remain in place. In all of these categories the batteries still have to be removable and replaceable, but by independent professionals rather than the end user.

The reasoning offered is safety. The Commission says exemptions are needed 'mainly for safety reasons' and points to the fire risk from improperly disposed lithium-ion batteries in waste facilities. That lines up with the process it ran, a 2025 call for applications followed by consultations with consumer groups, industry and Member States, alongside a simultaneous update of its removability guidelines for manufacturers.

The honest caveat is what the note does not spell out. It does not say how many manufacturers applied, which requests were denied, or publish the specific safety evidence behind each of the six new categories. The act is also not final yet. It now goes to the European Parliament and Council for scrutiny, and only enters into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal if neither institution objects.

For device makers building small, sealed wearables and for industrial equipment vendors, the compliance calculation on portable batteries just got simpler. For consumers, the practical effect is that the right to swap your own battery, part of the stated goal of extending product lifespans and facilitating recycling, gets narrower rather than wider on this class of gear.