companies will repair devices after the warranty expires

European Union officially approved new set of rules, famous as “Right to Repair”. The directive was created to prioritize repairing broken electronic devices instead of replacing them with new ones. The European Union has obliged manufacturers of equipment and gadgets to provide a minimum two-year warranty for their products. The new rules provide expanded rights for each consumer, for example, with regard to the possibility of repairing goods after the expiration of the warranty period. The list included smartphones, washing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc. Moreover, if a product fails during the warranty period, consumers can choose to replace or repair it. If you choose repair, the warranty will be extended by one year.

Details of innovations

ECOS Senior Program Manager Mathieu Rama said it was time to stop the growth of e-waste. In his opinion, every step towards easy-to-repair electronic products is a win for the environment. Thanks to the new rules, the European Union will be able to ensure fair prices for spare parts, support small repair businesses and give consumers more choice when it comes to repair services.

If the warranty has already expired, companies will have to offer such a price for out-of-warranty repairs to actually interest customers in it. The decree also obliges manufacturers to provide access to spare parts and tools. Equipment manufacturers will no longer be able to use methods of influencing customer behavior that make it difficult or impede the repair of devices, even in non-certified workshops. Special software and hardware restrictions, as well as restrictive contractual terms of purchase, are also prohibited.

The right to repair and mandatory warranty period are among the few EU regulations that actually benefit consumers as individuals rather than as an aggregate group. For example, previously the warranty period did not apply to a product if there was an attempt to repair it yourself or repair it in other private workshops. Now consumers will be able to buy Chinese repair parts or used original parts, as well as use 3D printed parts. At the same time, the manufacturer no longer has the right to refuse warranty repairs to the buyer of the product, even if the product was previously repaired by a third party.

The EU also plans to launch an online platform that will help users find repair shops, sellers of used equipment and buyers of defective goods near their location. The new rules will come into force after approval by the Council and publication in the Official Journal of the EU. Once the new rules are approved, they will become mandatory for all EU member states, and each country will have two years to implement them into law.

What else?

130 European companies that take part in joint work and activities coalition “Rights to Repair” expressed their approval and called the innovations “a step in the right direction.” But coalition officials also noted the limitations of the new directive. In particular, the point where the rules apply only to consumer goods, and do not apply to products or industrial goods purchased by a business. Also, under the new norms, manufacturers are required to provide spare parts and tools at “reasonable prices” to third-party repair centers. According to the coalition, the EU should make clear recommendations regarding price limits, rather than leaving this point to the discretion of equipment manufacturing companies.

According to the coalition, the ban on practices that make it difficult for consumers to repair equipment is not strict enough. For example, Apple often holds together parts inside phones and other devices interconnect, making it impossible to replace individual components without special equipment or permission from the manufacturer. Representatives of the initiative group believe that companies can circumvent the new rules by presenting “legitimate and objective” evidence, such as protecting their intellectual property rights. The lack of clear regulation may allow manufacturers to continue to prevent third-party repairers from repairing their products.

The Right to Repair Alliance also recommends expanding product coverage. Most new products entering EU markets are not subject to the new rules, officials said. This list includes televisions, telephones, welding machines, scooters and other goods.

“In essence, the main effect of the new right to repair will be to increase the chances that a small number of goods can be repaired. Although they are already subject to repair, according to current laws,” noted in the coalition.

Meanwhile, the United States is also taking the first steps in legislation in this aspect. More than 30 states do not have a right-to-repair provision, so formation is in process. A similar law in California will officially come into force in July 2024. According to the new regulations, manufacturers will be required to provide All necessary materials to repair all household appliances and appliances costing more than $50.