European e-waste campaigners are calling on EU leadership to force tech vendors to provide 15 years of software updates, using Microsoft’s plan to end Windows 10 support next month — which may make an estimated 400 million PCs obsolete — as a textbook case of avoidable e-waste.
The Right to Repair Europe coalition has urged Jessika Roswall, European Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, to end software-driven obsolescence by introducing rules that guarantee long-term security and software updates for laptops – and ideally for anything with a plug or battery.
The group says Microsoft’s fast-approaching Windows 10 support cut-off deadline is a prime example of why EU intervention is needed: to stop vendors from rendering perfectly good machines effectively obsolete through software support withdrawals rather than hardware failure.
“Microsoft’s decision to end support for Windows 10 could make 400 million computers obsolete — not because they’re broken, but because of software,” said Cristina Ganapini, coordinator of Right to Repair Europe.
“Companies can do this because there are no regulations to stop them. We call on European Commissioner Jessika Roswall to introduce EU Ecodesign requirements for laptops, guaranteeing at least 15 years of software updates. No more devices designed to break or become obsolete before their time.”
On 14 October, which just happens to be “International E-waste Day,” Windows 10 will get its final free security patches. Users who want to stay protected will need to pay for Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) scheme, upgrade to Windows 11 (if their hardware supports it), switch to a third-party OS, or risk running unpatched software.
That leaves hundreds of millions of PCs out in the cold: an estimated 400 million cannot upgrade to Windows 11 thanks to Redmond’s restrictive hardware requirements, including mandatory TPM 2.0 chips and relatively modern processors.
Campaigners warn that if even a fraction of those systems end up scrapped, they could create more than 700 million kilograms of e-waste – about 70 Eiffel Towers’ worth – while forcing consumers and businesses to buy new machines.
This comes after e-waste watchers revealed that 75 million iPhones could be rendered obsolete – tipping the scales at around 1.2 million kilograms of e-waste – following the release of iOS 26.
Microsoft insists customers have had nearly a decade to prepare for Windows 10’s retirement and points to its ESU program for those who need more time. But critics argue the scheme mainly serves deep-pocketed corporates and is unaffordable for most households and small businesses.
Alongside lobbying in Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, rights groups are taking aim directly at Redmond. An international coalition of repair advocates has launched an open letter urging Microsoft to extend free Windows 10 support beyond next month. The letter is open for organisations worldwide to co-sign, piling public pressure on Microsoft just weeks before the deadline.
The EU already has draft Ecodesign rules on the table for smartphones and tablets, mandating at least five years of security updates and spare part availability. Right to Repair Europe argues that it isn’t nearly enough, especially for laptops and other long-lived gear, and wants horizontal rules that tie software support to the expected lifespan of the hardware.
Campaigners say that without stronger rules, software-driven obsolescence will continue to push still-usable kit to landfill.
Redmond, meanwhile, seems unfazed by the looming October 14 fallout. The company announced today that it’s hiking its quarterly dividends by 10 percent, showering shareholders with cash as hundreds of millions of PCs face forced retirement. ®