New EU rules encourage repair of goods

A new EU Directive to promote the repair of goods has entered into force. The new rules encourage more sustainable consumption by making it easier to repair faulty products and encouraging consumers to repair their faulty products rather than replacing them. This Directive will benefit consumers by avoiding the costs of buying new products, and will lead to less waste, less resources and less greenhouse gas emissions. Member states now have until 31 July 2026 to transpose the Directive into their national law.

Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said: “With the European Green Deal, we have set out to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent in the world. The new rules will make repair a reality, and not just during the legal guarantee period. This will also contribute to the development of the entire ecosystem of repair, reuse and remanufacturing.”

Under the new Directive, manufacturers of certain products, such as refrigerators or smartphones, are required to offer timely repair services to consumers at a reasonable price. To strengthen the European repair market, the new rules require these manufacturers to offer replacement parts at a reasonable price and prohibit them from refusing to repair or using practices that prevent repair. To enable consumers to find attractive repair solutions, a European repair platform will help consumers find repairers easily. The new Directive also gives consumers a new right to a one-year extension of their legal warranty if they choose to have their defective product repaired instead of having it replaced by the seller.

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