The new European rules on the so-called “right to repair” of consumers have finally come into force. Brussels had asked that the citizens of the Twenty-seven be able to repair the products they buy more easily, especially digital devices. No sooner said than done.
Last April, MEPs adopted the EU directive that aimed, among other things, to reduce the amount of waste generated in the bloc and encourage a greener circular economy. Now national governments have also approved the new rules, which encourage more sustainable consumption habits by shoppers and more responsible sales practices by producers.
Repairing defective products will therefore be easier in the EU, avoiding the need to replace them periodically and thus allowing double savings: in the pockets of consumers and in terms of polluting emissions generated in the production of goods and in waste disposal. “The new rules will make repairs a reality, and not only during the legal guarantee period. And this will also contribute to the development of the entire ecosystem of repair, reuse and refurbishment”, said Didier Reynders, Commissioner for Justice.
Manufacturers will be legally obliged to offer affordable repair services within a reasonable time frame, where the repair needs to be carried out by qualified personnel, or directly the spare parts if these are operations that consumers can carry out themselves.
Furthermore, practices that prevent repairs (directly or indirectly) are prohibited, as is refusing to repair the products sold. This means that spare parts must be supplied by the manufacturers, who must also avoid resorting to contractual or technical clauses (so much so that hardware how much of software) that in any way hinder repair. And they won’t be able to stop consumers from resorting to second-hand or 3D-printed spare parts from independent repairers.
As for the warranty, consumers are guaranteed a one-year extension of the legal warranty if they decide to repair their defective product instead of replacing it with a new one. A dedicated European online platform with twenty-seven national sections will also be created to help consumers find centers that provide these services (including the sale of refurbished products and the sorting of defective items, as well as community-run repairs such as the so-called repair cafe) at local level.
To encourage the culture of reuse among citizens, a form will also be available, in a single version for all Twenty-seven, thanks to which consumers will be able to evaluate and compare repair services. Finally, Member States will have to implement strategies to promote the culture and practice of repair: for example through shopping vouchers, funds for repair services, information campaigns, home repair courses or support for community-run repair spaces.
The Directive is not directly applicable in national legal systems: Member States have until 31 July 2026 to transpose all the new rules into their national legislation.
