On April 23, the European Parliament approved new measures on manufacturers’ obligations to repair goods, in a more convenient and attractive way for consumers, with the aim of strengthening consumers’ right to repair. In summary, manufacturers will be obliged to repair a product for a reasonable price and within a reasonable time once the warranty has expired; consumers will have access to spare parts, information, and tools related to repair; incentives will be created to opt for repair rather than replacement, and online platforms will be created to help consumers find local repair services and shops with refurbished goods. The next step will be for the Council to formally adopt the directive and for it to be published in the Official Journal of the EU; from then on, Member States will have 24 months to incorporate it into national legislation.

The details of the new regulation

The new regulations stipulate that manufacturers must offer a repair service and inform consumers about their rights to repair. The legal warranty of repaired goods may be extended by one year thanks to the quality guarantee to encourage consumers to choose repair over replacement. Once the legal warranty has expired, manufacturers will still be obliged to repair common household products that, according to European legislation, are technically repairable, such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, or even smartphones. In addition, consumers will be able to request a replacement device while theirs is being repaired, and in the event that it cannot be repaired, opt for a refurbished product as an alternative.

The purpose of the new regulations is to strengthen the repair market in the EU and reduce repair costs for consumers. In this regard, an online platform will be created to enable consumers to easily find local repair workshops, sellers of refurbished products, buyers of defective products, or community repair initiatives. On the other hand, manufacturers must provide consumers with spare parts and tools at a reasonable price, and it will be prohibited to use contractual clauses and techniques related to equipment or software programs that prevent goods from being repaired. Specifically, they cannot prevent the use of second-hand or 3D-printed spare parts by independent repair workshops, nor refuse to repair a product only for economic reasons or because it has already been repaired by third parties.

To make repairs more affordable, each Member State must implement at least one measure to promote repair, such as vouchers and repair funds; launch information campaigns; offer repair courses or support community repair spaces.

According to the European Commission, the premature disposal of consumer goods produces 261 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions, consumes 30 million tonnes of resources, and generates 35 million tonnes of waste in the EU each year. As for consumers, they lose nearly €12 billion per year by replacing goods instead of repairing them.

We remind you that one of the services we offer at inèdit is ecodesign to extend the lifespan of products through repair, refurbishment, or remanufacturing, as well as designing business models to extend product lifespan.