On-cell protection circuits are quite bad, protection should be inside the device.
I agree that devices should not over-discharge or over-charge cells, but the example you gave was people putting batteries in their pockets, presumably with metallic items like coins and keys that can cause short circuits. On-cell protection circuits handle that situation well enough; I recommend carrying batteries in plastic cases, but I've never heard of a manufacturer getting sued over a protected cell.
I often use unprotected cells myself, but I'm a hobbyist.
[New EU rules don't] mean the batteries should be swappable. It will only make service workers’ life easier, not yours.