Important for washing machines, bicycles and smartphones owners ! The European Parliament’s Committee on Consumer Protection has endorsed a pivotal step towards a common ‘right to repair’ directive across the EU. With this new law, Europe wants to facilitate the repair of defective products, extending beyond the standard two-year legal guarantee, and encourages independent repairers. It strikes a balance between sustainable consumption and challenges like spare parts availability and repair costs.
If this text go forward, sellers will be obliged to provide a free repair for defective products, unless replacement proves more cost-effective or if repair is impractical. To incentivize repairs, the legal guarantee will be extended by an additional year. Member States are also encouraged to offer financial incentives, such as vouchers or national repair funds.
Consumers would go via user-friendly online platforms enabling them to find local repairers, such as ‘repair cafés’, and sellers of refurbished goods. These platforms will also offer insights into repair conditions, facilitating informed choices.
The directive, applicable to various products, including electronics and bicycles, aims to establish a transparent, competitive repair market, providing access to spare parts and information for consumers and independent repairers. A European Parliament plenary session vote is scheduled for November 20 to 23, with an EU Council decision anticipated shortly after.