PhonAndroid France removes the obligation to provide headphones with smartphones

French parliamentarians adopted an amendment to article 34-9 of the electronic postal and telecommunications code. It removes the obligation for brands to provide headphones with their smartphones. Senators and deputies believe that the waste caused by this obligation is no longer justifiable by health arguments.

This was a quasi-French exception: until now, smartphone brands had the obligation to provide headphones with all their smartphones. Why ? Because some studies claimed, in 2010, that there is a relationship between the electromagnetic waves emitted by telephones and the formation of certain tumors. The World Health Organization has always refuted these conclusions. But France preferred to opt for the precautionary principle.

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Thus, in 2010, article 183 of the Grenelle II law added a new paragraph to article 34-9 of the electronic postal and telecommunications code. This paragraph then confirmed that “radioelectric terminals intended to be connected to a network open to the public for the supply of the telephone service cannot be marketed without an accessory making it possible to limit exposure of the head to radioelectric emissions during communications”.

Brands no longer have to provide headphones with all their smartphones

This will no longer be the case. French parliamentarians, members of the Senate and the National Assembly, adopted a modification of article 34-9 at the end of October. This change removes the requirement to provide headphones with each cell phone. On the other hand, the brands will now have to “make it mandatory to have models of headphones compatible with each model of telephone sold by manufacturers and importers, for a minimum period”. Understand that the headphones will no longer be provided automatically: the brands will just have the obligation to sell compatible headphones.

In the report confirming this modification, the Senate explains that this decision responds to an ecological and environmental requirement. The obligation to provide earphones is a “significant source of waste”, since earphones are generally of rather poor quality and are often not used. This waste is no longer counterbalanced by health arguments and the precautionary principle: ANSES only recommends the use of hands-free kits for adults who use their telephones intensively.

In addition, this removal is an economic opportunity, at a time when the market for listening systems (headphones and earphones) is booming. No longer providing headphones will maximize its potential. Note that the law that modifies the obligation to provide headphones with smartphones is the same that introduced the private copying tax for smartphones and other second-hand electronic products.

Source: franroid