EU will support the Right-to-Repair with new rules
Good news for all the Right-to-Repair movement supporters. For us repair specialists, a lot is probably going to change, in a positive way. The European Commission adopted a proposal for uniform rules to promote the repair of goods. The motivation of the EU to do this is that it will not only benefit consumers but also contribute significantly to reducing e-waste. However, of course, the European Parliament and Council still have to make a final decision on this proposal. Both are expected to agree, and the new rules will eventually be introduced. The early disposal of easily repairable electronics results in 35 million tons of e-waste per year. By implementing the new rules, 30 million tons of resources, including energy, water, rare metals, and others will be conserved. This will reduce CO2 emissions by 261 million tons annually. All in all, this results in savings of 12 billion euros each year for EU citizens. Additionally, this measure promotes economic growth, increasing demand for repairs and therefore the turnover of European repair companies by 4.8 billion euros per year. What does the EU propose exactly? During the legal warranty period, sellers must offer repair, unless a replacement is less costly. Outside of the legal warranty period, consumers will have a new set of rights and tools that will make "repair" a simple and accessible option: The right for consumers to demand repair of technically repairable products such as phones, laptops, washing machines and televisions from producers under EU law. This ensures that consumers have someone to turn to when their products require repair and encourages producers to adopt more sustainable business models. Producers must inform consumers of the products that can be repaired by the producers themselves. An online repair platform will connect consumers with repairers and sellers of repaired goods in their area. The platform will allow searches based on location and quality standards, making it easier for consumers to find attractive offers and for repairers to become more visible. A European repair information form can be requested by consumers from any repairer, which makes repair conditions and prices more transparent, allowing for easier comparison of repair offers. A European quality standard for repair services will be developed, which will help consumers find repairers that provide quality work. The "easy repair" standard will be available to all repairers across the EU who commit to respecting minimum quality standards based on product longevity or availability. All in all: good news for you as a repair specialist! What this means for you as a repair specialist, is that the proposed rules by the European Union to promote the repair of goods can bring increased demand for your services, more business opportunities, and greater consumer confidence in your work through transparent communication of repair conditions and prices. We at 4Phones are happy about this sustainable and circular development and are eagerly waiting for the EU to introduce these rules.
