The European Parliament has begun work on the so-called right to repair. The new regulations are intended to encourage consumers to repair broken products instead of buying new ones.
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"The Internal Market Committee has adopted its position on new measures strengthening the right to repair and promoting sustainable consumption," reads a statement from the European Parliament.
The aim of the new regulations is to increase the number of repairs during the legal warranty period of products and after its expiration, as well as to promote a new culture of sustainable consumption. The project assumes that sellers would be obliged to offer free repair of products (e.g. washing machines, vacuum cleaners, smartphones) during the legal warranty period, unless the repair would be more expensive than replacement, impossible or inconvenient for the consumer.
MEPs also propose that repairs should take place within a reasonable timeframe, and that manufacturers should offer consumers replacement devices for rent. According to the project, if a repair is used, consumers would also receive an extension of the legal warranty on the repaired product for one year.
If, however, a given device could not be repaired, manufacturers would have to offer a refurbished product. In this way, independent workshops, repairers and end users would have access to all spare parts, information and tools at reasonable costs for the entire period of product use. At the same time, EU member states would promote a culture of repair through financial incentives such as vouchers and national repair funds.
"Consumers often prematurely dispose of damaged consumer products, even though their repair and further use would be possible. This happens when, under the legal warranty defined in the directive on the sale of consumer goods, consumers choose replacement instead of repair, and when outside the legal warranty they are discouraged from repair due to its suboptimal possibilities and conditions," we read in the official proposal.
According to MEPs, the new regulations have a chance to increase competition, lower repair costs and provide consumers with more choice. National online platforms would also enable finding local workshops and sellers of refurbished goods. Consumers could also - as the project suggests - get an overview of the repair conditions of each device, including information about the person handling the repair, the maximum price and the required time.
The Commission's initiative is in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal in terms of sustainable consumption and complements the regulation on the Ecodesign and the directive on strengthening the position of consumers in the context of the green transformation.
As the EC emphasizes, premature disposal of usable products generates 261 million tons of CO2 emissions, consumes 30 million tons of resources and results in 35 million tons of waste each year. The project will be put to a vote in the EP at the plenary session in November. Once the Council adopts its position, negotiations on the final text of the regulation can begin.
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