AFAIK it allows the use of common tools or specialized tools (as long as they are provided free of charge) and a layperson can accomplish the repair.
(38) In order to ensure that portable batteries that were incorporated into appliances are subject
to separate collection, treatment and high quality recycling once those appliances become
waste, provisions to ensure the removability and replaceability of batteries in such
appliances are necessary. Consumer safety should be ensured, in line with Union law and
in particular Union safety standards, during the removal of portable batteries from or the
replacement of portable batteries in an appliance. A portable battery should be considered
to be removable by the end-user when it can be removed with the use of commercially
available tools and without requiring the use of specialised tools, unless they are provided
free of charge, or proprietary tools, thermal energy or solvents to disassemble it.
The no tools part seems a bit extreme. So a manufacturer can’t use a few standard screws to keep things in place?
They seemed to be just fine with the snap on backs before, hell they even made water resistant phones with snap on backs and removable batteries.
AFAIK it allows the use of common tools or specialized tools (as long as they are provided free of charge) and a layperson can accomplish the repair.
Edit: Source - First PDF link on the page
“Common” tools are allowed. So a small phillips head for example. Or a basic lever to pry the back off.
“Specialised” tools are also allowed if the tool is included in the box (sim tray ejector pins are a good example of how that might work).
Strictly speaking, the latest iPhones do have “user replaceable” batteries… but the tools are never going to be included with every phone: