The European Commission has presented a bill to revitalize the “right to repair”. This gives consumers the opportunity to have products repaired even after the statutory warranty has expired.

Broken electrical devices often end up in container parks today, although they can actually still be repaired. After the statutory warranty period has expired, the manufacturers are no longer willing to rectify defects. The EU Commission wants to give consumers the right to have their devices repaired until they finally give up the ghost. This “right to repair” has now also been enshrined in a draft law.

The draft law distinguishes between the existing warranty rules for electronics and the following. Within this warranty period, which is set at two years for most product categories, the manufacturer must offer a repair anyway, unless the cost of the repair would be more expensive than a complete replacement of the device. The repair law wants to extend this beyond the warranty.

If the bill passes, consumers can request repairs unless the manufacturer can show that the device is beyond repair. The manufacturer must also inform the customer of this right at the time of purchase and provide clear information on how to have devices repaired. Finally, the Commission also wants to set up a platform to put consumers in contact with workshops that meet certain quality standards in order to be admitted on this platform.

Circular electronics

The Right to Repair plans are in line with the Circular Economy Action Plan prepared by the Commission in 2020. The goal is to reduce the mountain of e-waste as much as possible. The introduction of USB-C as the universal standard for chargers also fits into this action plan.

The repair right applies to all types of electronic devices such as televisions and household appliances. Some details are still up for debate, TechCrunch notes, such as the period within which the repair obligation must apply. The European Commission provides for a period of five to ten years after purchase. Mobile devices are not mentioned in the bill for the time being, but smartphones and tablets will certainly be added in due course.

“This proposal is the next step in making the right to repair a reality. The first steps were to make goods repairable and to educate consumers about sustainable alternatives. Now consumers also have the necessary tools to make a decision to repair and make a positive contribution to the circular economy,” says Belgian politician Didier Reynders in the press release.