EU exempts smart glasses from battery rules, clearing path for Meta

The European Commission adopted a delegated act on Tuesday exempting wearable technology from the bloc’s requirement that consumers be able to remove and replace portable batteries. The move covers smartwatches, fitness trackers, electric toys, and equipment used in explosive atmospheres. Unless the European Parliament or national governments object within 20 days, the exemption will enter into force.

For hardware manufacturers, this is a significant commercial unlock. More than 7 million pairs of Meta smart glasses sold worldwide in 2025, yet EssilorLuxottica reported that European distribution lagged behind the US, with over half of sales points still unserved. The exemption clears the path not only for Meta but for upcoming smart glasses from Samsung, Google, and Apple.

The carve-out highlights a sharp divide in how the Batteries Regulation is applied. The rule, designed to extend product life and improve recycling, has real teeth: Nintendo is discontinuing the original Switch in Europe rather than comply with the February 2027 deadline for user-replaceable batteries. Wearables will now face a lesser standard.

However, the exemption is narrower than a total pass. Batteries in these devices must still be removable and replaceable by independent professionals, mirroring existing exemptions for medical devices and electric toothbrushes granted on safety grounds. The Commission noted its process began in 2025, prior to a public lobbying push in March by US Ambassador Andrew Puzder, who argued the rules blocked a jointly developed US-European product.

Consumer groups remain unconvinced. Cláudio Texeira, digital policy chief at BEUC, Europe’s largest consumer organisation, called it a "dangerous precedent", arguing exemptions should rely solely on technical and safety evidence rather than industry pressure. The Commission itself has acknowledged the risks of the exemption, noting that incorrectly discarded small lithium-ion batteries are causing a rising number of fires at waste treatment plants.

Resolving the hardware question does little to address the more pressing regulatory threat facing smart glasses. The European Data Protection Board has commissioned a report on the category, due this summer, and will consider enforcement action afterward. Irish and Italian regulators raised concerns as early as 2021 that bystanders cannot tell if they are being filmed.

Meta points to safeguards, including a recording indicator LED and tamper detection that disables the camera if the light is destroyed. The company also ended a contract with Sama after Kenyan workers reported reviewing intimate footage captured by the glasses to train AI models. Brussels has now removed a commercial barrier for a device it has not yet determined is legally acceptable to use on European streets.