Prevent unnecessary waste
EU seeks ‘right to repair’ law
3/11/2023 8:02 am
So far, it has been easier for both manufacturers and consumers to simply replace defective devices with new ones. But that contradicts the concept of sustainability and should therefore change soon according to the EU Commission.
The EU Commission intends to present its draft law for a “right to repair” this month, which is to apply throughout the European Union. The text of the law is to be presented on March 22, reports “Welt am Sonntag”, citing informed circles in Brussels. Manufacturers and retailers of new goods should be obliged to offer repairs even after the end of the general warranty period of two years and to stock spare parts accordingly.
In addition, according to the will of the Commission, the prices for repairs should fall. For this purpose, a so-called information platform for repairs should be set up, the newspaper reports. On it, consumers should be able to find out about providers who commit to certain quality standards and their prices. According to the EU Commission’s plan, the new platform should lead to more transparency and competition in the prices for repairs.
new purchase or repair
“In recent years, the automatic purchase of new products has often been the easiest way for sellers and manufacturers,” said EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders of the newspaper. “However, this business model encourages a high volume of waste and contradicts the principle of sustainability.” Instead of buying a new one, “repairs should become the new normal” in the future, said Reynders. “Consumers should be given the choice to have goods repaired, either by the manufacturer, to which new obligations will apply, or by independent repair service providers, who will become more visible and easily accessible.”
According to the EU Commission, goods that in most cases can still be repaired but are ultimately replaced by a new product generate 35 million tons of unnecessary waste every year.