Right to repair: The road to a more sustainable Europe

On Tuesday, the EU Parliament adopted the directive on the so-called “right to repair” for consumers. This carried 584 votes in favour, 3 against and 14 abstentions. These new rules are due to reinforce the right to repair and aim to reduce waste by making it easier and more cost effective to repair goods. 

The law first came into Parliament in November 2023, with the aim to support European Green deal targets by increasing incentives for a circular economy. These new rules will hopefully fortify the previous laws and encourage consumers to extend a product’s lifecycle through repair, rather than just replacing it. 

Under the new rules, manufacturers must provide timely and cost affective repair services while also informing consumers on their rights for repair. Adding a one-year extension to legal guarantees is one way of incentivising consumers to choose repair over replacement. Manufacturers are also still required to repair any common household products that are repairable under EU law. Consumer’s must also be able to borrow a device whilst they wait for theirs to be repaired. 

There is a European information form that can be offered to consumers to help them assess and compare repair services. This will in turn make the repair process easier. There will also be an online platform where consumers can locate local repair shops at ease. 

Each member state is expected to implement at least one measure to promote repair. These could include vouchers, repair courses or information campaigns. Manufacturers are also expected to provide spare parts for repairs at reasonable prices and be prohibited from using hardware or software techniques that deliberately obstruct repairs.

This move reflects a commitment to consumer rights, environmental sustainability and economic resilience. It holds the potential of stimulating innovation and competition within the repair market. The EU is committed to paving the way for a more sustainable future for its citizens. 

As the EU leads the Right to Repair initiative, it sends a powerful message to manufacturers and consumers worldwide that the time to create a more sustainable and repair-friendly world is now.