European Commission opens public consultation on draft delegated act to add exemptions from portable battery removability/replaceability requirements

The European Commission launched a public consultation on a draft delegated act under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 to add additional product categories to the list exempted from the general requirement that portable batteries be removable and replaceable by end-users. The consultation references examples such as wearable devices, electric toys, and certain equipment within scope of the ATEX Directive. If adopted, these exemptions would affect product design/engineering choices and repairability obligations for products containing portable batteries, and may influence related end-of-life handling expectations. Consultation closes 26 May 2026.