Major win for Right to Repair? Tech makers to offer repairs for up to 10 years in proposed EU law

Manufacturers of a wide range of goods, including televisions, vacuum cleaners, cellphones, and tablets, may be obliged to allow repairs for up to ten years after purchase, based on the device type. The European Commission stated on Wednesday that it has enacted a plan that, if approved by the European Parliament and Council, would impose long-term repair requirements on electronics manufacturers.

The rule would apply to all EU-mandated repairable devices, such as vacuum cleaners, washer-dryers, welding equipment, computers, and data storage devices. The EU is presently negotiating repair rights for cell phones and laptops.

Strict repair laws to get even stricter
Already, the EU mandates vendors to fix or replace defective goods for free within two years of purchase. The new rule would compel businesses to provide a complimentary fix (rather than replacing the product) if doing so would be the same or less expensive.

Furthermore, the suggested legislation requires vendors to conduct repairs for a minimum of five to ten years after purchase, based on the device type. TV manufacturers, for example, would be obligated to provide fixes for at least seven years after purchase, while washing machine and washer-dryer manufacturers would be obligated for ten years. Under the legislation suggested on Wednesday, the EU is presently considering proposals that would require smartphone and tablet manufacturers to provide repairs for up to five years.

The rule would not require vendors to make fixes within this time period if it is “impossible,” such as if the “repair is technically impossible,” as explained by the commission in a Q&A website.

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The commission forecasts that this rule will save 18.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas pollution, 1.8 million tonnes of resources, and 3 million tonnes of trash over a 15-year period. Meanwhile, the commission’s steps would save EU customers 176.5 billion Euros (about $192.3 billion) and “sellers and producers” 15.6 billion Euros (about $16.3 billion).

Environment not the only factor
One of the motivations for the plan is to bolster the maintenance sector, which the commission claims will see employment growth if the rule is passed. It did not, however, provide an updated employment count estimate.

According to the commission’s statement on Wednesday:

Over the last decades, replacement has often been prioritized over repair whenever products become defective, and insufficient incentives have been given to consumers to repair their goods when the legal guarantee expires. The proposal will make it easier and more cost-effective for consumers to repair as opposed to replace goods.

The plan also aims to establish an “online matchmaking repair platform to connect consumers with repairers and sellers of refurbished goods in their area” among European Union member states. It also requires businesses to be outspoken about their repair duties and services, such as giving repair costs and time estimates upon request.

Also read: EU proposes smartphone repair law to extend the usability of devices, Apple-backed trade group opposes

The commission wishes to create a “European quality standard for repair services” in order to assist customers in locating “higher quality” repair businesses. The standard would “be open to all repairers across the EU willing to commit to minimum quality standards, such as duration or product availability."

Activists not happy with watered-down legislation
The European chapter of the Right to Repair movement however, believe that the proposed bill is already watered down more than it should be, claiming that the commission’s plan “does not address the cost of repair” or does not go far enough to enable independent repair shops. It has advocated for laws requiring the use of third-party and used spare parts, as well as universal access to cheap spare parts, repair manuals, and diagnostic instruments, as well as financial benefits to lower repair pricing.

Also read: Explained: What is the EU's new proposal for rating smartphones on reparability and why it is a good thing

The coalition believes that vendors should be compelled to fix devices within two years of purchase, regardless of whether it is cheaper for the vendor to replace the object. It also wants the plan to apply to a broader range of products.

One of the commission’s justice commissioners, Didier Reynders, emphasised the significance of repairable designs in lowering fix costs.

“It means that it is possible to significantly reduce the cost of repair."  Because it is not always feasible to open up a device—for example, in the recording equipment industry—and get inside it yourself. So the Ecodesign method should make things easier there."

Despite the commission’s assertions that its plan will benefit local repair shops, Cecilia Bonefeld-Dahl, director-general of DigitalEurope, a tech trade organization, hinted at the industry’s initial unwillingness to cede some control over bought device fixes.

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