Directive on Repair of Goods: Promoting Repair for Sustainable Consumption

The Directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods was adopted on June 13, 2024, and became effective on July 30, 2024. Member States are required to incorporate it into their national laws and enforce it starting from July 31, 2026. The directive aims to foster sustainable consumption by encouraging the repair and reuse of goods, both within and outside of the legal guarantee period. This aligns with the European Commission’s priority of the green transition, particularly under the European Green Deal.

This directive is part of a broader legislative effort aimed at extending the lifespan of consumer products. It complements the Union's actions under the Ecodesign framework, which are currently governed by the Ecodesign Directive but will soon be replaced by the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation. The Ecodesign measures enhance product reparability by setting standards for product design and the availability of spare parts. This directive also works alongside Directive EU/2024/825 on Empowering Consumers in the Green Transition, which provides consumers with better information on the durability and reparability of goods at the point of sale.

The directive seeks to encourage consumers to use their products for longer periods, thereby preventing the premature disposal of repairable goods. It introduces several measures to promote repair:

1. Obligation to Repair

Manufacturers of products that are subject to reparability requirements under EU law, as listed in Annex II of the directive, must repair these products within a reasonable time and at a reasonable cost. These reparability requirements are specified in product-specific legislation, mainly under the Ecodesign Directive and the Regulation on Ecodesign for Sustainable Products. Annex II lists the products to which this obligation applies.

Additionally, manufacturers are prohibited from using contractual clauses or implementing hardware or software techniques that would impede the repair of goods listed in Annex II unless such measures are justified by legitimate and objective factors. Manufacturers are also required to provide access to spare parts at reasonable prices.

Manufacturers must make information about their repair services easily accessible to consumers, such as on their websites or in instruction manuals. They are also required to inform consumers about the indicative prices charged for typical repairs on a free-access website. These obligations complement existing product-specific legislation that requires manufacturers to provide information about spare parts and their prices online.

2. European Online Platform for Repair

The directive includes the establishment of a new European Repair Platform, an extension of the “Your Europe” portal, to make it easier for consumers to find repairers. The European Commission will be responsible for setting up the IT infrastructure for this platform, while Member States will manage the registration of repairers in their territories. The platform is expected to be operational by 2027.

3. Extension of the Legal Guarantee After Repair

The directive amends the existing Sale of Goods Directive (EU) 2019/771. Under this amendment, consumers will receive an additional year of legal guarantee if they choose to repair a product rather than replace it under the legal guarantee.

4. National Measures Promoting Repair

Member States are required to implement at least one measure to promote repair within their territories. These measures can include financial and non-financial incentives such as information campaigns, repair vouchers, or training programs in repair skills.

5. European Repair Information Form

Repairers will be able to provide consumers with information about their repair services through a standardized European Repair Information Form. This form allows consumers to easily compare different repair offers. When a repairer provides this form, the repair conditions listed must remain valid for 30 days.

Next Steps

The European Commission will collaborate with Member States to develop the European online repair platform and to annually update the list of products in Annex II that are subject to the repair obligation.

This directive represents a significant step towards promoting sustainable consumption and extending the lifespan of consumer products within the EU.

Article source: https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/consumer-protection-law/consumer-contract-law/directive-repair-goods_en

Photo attribution: European Commission, European Commission, marked as public domain, more details on Wikimedia Commons