A bill to reduce the environmental footprint of digital technology has just been passed by Parliament. Among the measures taken: the removal of the rule which obliges smartphone manufacturers to provide wired headphones with their devices in France, reports Frandroid.

In France, the obligation for manufacturers to provide headphones in the box of their smartphones should make it possible to limit the exposure of users to radioelectric emissions thanks to hands-free kits.

The senator from Ain, Patrick Chaize (Les Républicains) is behind the bill aimed at "reducing the environmental footprint of digital technology in France".

Article 14 quater, introduced by the deputies of the National Assembly after first reading, indicates that manufacturers must ensure "the availability of headphones compatible with the terminal model during its marketing period". Above all, as Patrick Chaize explains in an email to Frandroid, "article 14 quater […] does indeed remove this obligation to provide headphones when selling mobile phones".

Health, environment... What consequences?

Patrick Chaize points out that this new rule is obviously motivated by reasons of environmental preservation. On the health side, the senator recalls that "international expert bodies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), have so far refuted the existence of a cause and effect link established between exposure to fields electromagnetic waves produced by mobile phones and chronic pathologies".

It is to be expected that many brands will take this opportunity to no longer supply the headphones even though they can still do so. Still, in terms of logistics Apple, Samsung and company will no longer need to design special packaging for France if they choose to no longer supply headphones.

It remains to be seen when the text of the law will come into force. No date has yet been advanced, so we will have to wait for the law to be published in the Official Journal.