Under a new legislation passed on Friday (February 2), European consumers will have the right to repair common household appliances, including mobile phones, with EU countries obliged to develop schemes to increase repair rates, according to Euractiv.
The European Commission proposed a new law in 2023 to give consumers the right to have their devices repaired even long after the warranty has expired. Parliament and EU countries will only be required to approve the agreement. Alexia Bertrand, the Belgian consumer protection state secretary, stated:
With the agreement reached today, Europe makes a clear choice for repair instead of disposal.
René Repasi, the European Parliament’s lead negotiator, argued that “in the future, it will be easier and cheaper to repair products instead of buying new, expensive ones.”
“This marks a significant success for the European Parliament, which has been vehemently in favour of empowering consumers in the fight against climate change.”
The European Commission stated that its initial proposal would prevent the emission of around 18 million tonnes of CO2 over 15 years, while saving consumers €176 billion. A mandate for a “reasonable” repair fee, put forward by Repasi and his fellow negotiators, will be included in the final draft.
The new law will oblige manufacturers to “repair common household products like washing machines, vacuum cleaners, and even smartphones.” The list of products could be expanded through a secondary law known as the Ecodesign regulation.
Adding smartphones to the list is of particular importance as it will allow regulatory pressure to be put on dominant manufacturers like Apple, whose policy of bundling software with parts has long prevented traditional shops from repairing their products.
Under the new regulations, retailers must inform their customers of the right to repair, with the option for them to borrow a replacement while the repair is being carried out or to choose a repaired replacement immediately. Sellers are also required to provide online access to estimated repair prices.
The new rules will strengthen consumer rights when goods are defective and will make repair more attractive and accessible for consumers.
Consumers can still choose between repairing or simply buying a new device, BEUC, the European consumer advocacy watchdog, added. The European Parliament originally sought to make refunds mandatory in specific cases, but this approach has been abandoned.
Under the agreement, EU countries must introduce at least one measure to incentivise consumers to repair services, such as repair vouchers, funds or VAT reductions.
The EU Parliament has also been successful in pushing for reasonable prices. In November, MEPs announced that they intended to introduce a rule to ensure a realistic price level.
EU countries have 24 months to transpose the directive into national law after it is adopted by the Council and Parliament and published in the EU Official Journal.
