Right to Repair of Household Appliances: What the New EU Rules Encompass

New EU Rules on Appliance Repair

The European Parliament has approved the directive on the right to appliance repair, which will become law after passing through the Council and being officially published.
Member states will then have 2 years to comply with and implement the consumer protection legislation.
These new rules aim to help consumers avoid significant financial losses and reduce the environmental impact of appliance disposal.

Right to Appliance Repair

The European Commission has gathered data on appliance disposal across the EU, revealing alarming statistics:

• Each year, citizens lose 12 billion euros by replacing appliances instead of repairing them.
• Appliance disposal consumes 30 million tons of resources annually.
• Appliance disposal generates 35 million tons of waste yearly.

These numbers highlight the need to intervene in premature device disposals and promote repair over replacement.
Consumers will now have access to affordable repair services and should be encouraged through various strategies.
Each EU member state will need to implement at least one dedicated measure, such as providing additional warranty for customers who choose repair over replacement.

Appliances Covered by the EU Directive

The EU directive on appliance repair actually applies to a wide range of common items, even non-electronic ones.
Specifically, it refers to “any tangible movable property” and “any tangible movable property incorporating or connected to digital content or a digital service.” Appliances covered include, but are not limited to:

• Washing machines
• Dishwashers
• Dryers
• Televisions
• Smartphones

All consumer goods fall within this category.
However, industrial goods and instrumental items are explicitly excluded.
This exclusion has been a point of contention among associations, such as the Right to Repair Europe collective, who argue that dedicated appliance repair measures already exist.
Nevertheless, consumer goods directly impact consumers, making regulatory intervention essential.

Repair Costs and Timelines

The legislation does not set fixed costs for repairs.
Currently, there are no parameters or percentage limits based on the item’s value, as the extent of damage and proportion to a new purchase must be considered.

The directive simply aims to promote repair whenever possible, providing necessary information and applying reasonable prices.
Third-party repair centers may also provide assistance, but manufacturers must disclose an estimated cost or a maximum figure beforehand.

Regarding timelines, the repaired product must be returned to the customer within a maximum of 30 days.
In the meantime, a replacement product must be provided for use.
The legislation also respects manufacturers’ interests, as companies can be exempt from repair obligations citing “legitimate and objective reasons.”

New Digital Platform

The directive will also introduce an online platform where each EU member state will have a local website for consumers to connect with repair sites and sellers of used products nearby.
Optionally, a form will be provided to facilitate the initiation of repairs.

Approval of Independent Components

The European directive lifts the ban on using independent components or those made with 3D printing.
Furthermore, manufacturers can no longer refuse to repair devices that have been “tampered with by third parties.”