European consumers will have the right to have common household appliances, including mobile phones, repaired, while EU countries will have to produce schemes to boost repair rates according to a new law adopted on Friday (2 February).
In 2023, the European Commission proposed a new law equipping consumers with a right to have their devices repaired – long after the warranty expired.
“With the agreement reached today, Europe makes a clear choice for repair instead of disposal,” said Alexia Bertrand, the Belgian consumer protection state secretary, who led the negotiations on behalf of EU countries. Parliament and EU countries still need to rubber-stamp the agreement – usually a formality.
European Parliament’s lead negotiator, the German centre-left politician René Repasi, said, “In the future, it will be easier and cheaper to repair products instead of buying new, expensive ones.”
Alongside other initiatives, establishing a right to repair was high on the agenda for the EU’s hemicycle. Behind closed doors, lawmakers hope that tangible positive impacts for consumers will endear them to the European public. The law was thus a priority for Parliament.
The new law will establish an “obligation for the manufacturer to repair common household products …"
This isn’t what “right to repair” typically means. I’ve only ever heard that phrase used to describe the right of the owner to repair the devices they own themselves and to not be required to bring them to the manufacturer for repair.
Don’t let the article being a bit clickbaity diswade you from the actual good this law is doing, however. It’s a good thing and a good solid step forward to curb the disposable economy we’ve had for the past 20 years.
Yeah, wtf. That’s not “right to repair(verb)” it’s “right to repair(noun)”. Totally different concepts.
I like this rule but it says a lot that they carved out a massive exception for themselves. It is for common household products. When is the last time you have bought any common household product from Europe? The margins are too small so the wealthy high cost of labor companies there concentrate on big ticket items architecture, infrastructure, cars, industrial etc. even if you argue cell phones and routers and computers etc it still doesn’t really impact them. All those companies are based in Asia and the US.
My employer buys a metric shitton of stuff from Italy and Germany. None of which is common household products. So no I am not going to be able to repair my broken Siemens PLC or my broken ABB VFD.
It’s a right for consumers in Europe. Meaning it doesn’t matter where it was manufactured, if you’re an European buying from your neighbourhood electronics store you’re covered.
That wasn’t my point, at all.
Sorry, what was your point then? Not being passive aggressive, just confused.
Bought a washing machine from AEG (German company) 3 months ago. I also got a coffee grinder (can’t remember the actual company) from a different German manufacturer for Christmas.
Good counter examples. Braun?
Nah it wasn’t something I knew before. But my new electric toothbrush is by Phillips, so Dutch.
Was it made there?
Doubt it, but skimming the article I can’t actually find anywhere that mentions this measure is only for companies based in Europe, let alone companies that are based and manufacture here.
I hope that manufacturers thinking of sidestepping the legislation (unreasonable pricing, weird caveats, similar to how Apple is trying to get around the DMA) will compel Parliament to put its foot fown and enshrine more rights for consumer self-repair and 3rd party repairs that are qualified by someone not OEM-affiliated.
That picture, as I was scrolling by, reminded me very much of top gear.