The Changing Landscape for Electronics in the EU

The European Union and the United Kingdom are planning a series of new regulations around consumer electronics, artificial intelligence, and batteries that will significantly change the market for manufacturers in the coming years. In an article published in Sedgwick Brand Protection — State of the Nation 2024 Recall Index Report — Data, Trends & Predictions for European Markets, Exponent's James Frake outlines some of the new regulations and their impact for manufacturers.

One of the key regulations discussed in the article is the EU's General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), which could require new or updated technical documentation for consumer electronics manufacturers. A goal of the GPSR is to improve alignment between conformity-assessment marked (CE-marked) and non-CE-marked products, which would mean all products sold in the EU will need documented evidence that they are safe for use.

There are also new regulations around batteries for electric vehicles and e-mobility devices. While these regulations remain in flux, the EU intends to establish recycling targets and standards for the reuse, repair, and repurposing of battery packs. 

In the U.K., new regulations may affect batteries for micromobility devices like electric scooters. A bill put forward by the U.K. advocacy group Electrical Safety First calls for regulators to require third-party safety assessments of micromobility devices, introduce disposal regulations, and address fire safety concerns.

From the publication: "The new and revised policies will impact stakeholders across the electronics industry by adding more supplier due diligence and more liability to companies manufacturing and distributing electronics products."