Repair
28
Jan
2025
1
min read

The EU’s ‘Right to Repair’ movement gains momentum, but challenges remain especially for secondary market

The ‘Right to Repair’ concept has gained significant attention in the EU in recent years, aiming to empower consumers to repair products rather than discard them, according to EU pressure group ‘Right to Repair’. Supported by legislation, this initiative enables both consumers and independent repairers to repair or refurbish products, promoting sustainability and reducing waste. Refurbishment, which involves testing, cleaning, and repairing used products to make them fully functional for resale, shares many technical processes with repair. 

EU policy tools to promote repair 

The EU employs various policy instruments to encourage repair:

  • Mandatory requirements: Minimum repair requirements are included in Ecodesign Regulations and the Battery Regulation. These cover disassembly and the availability of spare parts. Selling non-compliant products is illegal. From August 2026, manufacturers must offer spare parts and repair services at reasonable prices.
  • Information and incentives: Repair scores are being developed to inform consumers about product repairability. France has already implemented a mandatory repair index. Environmental labels incorporating repairability criteria are also emerging, though adoption is slow. Governments can stimulate demand for sustainable products through Green Public Procurement. Financial incentives, such as tax reductions or subsidies, are also being used to promote repair and refurbishment.
  • Standards: European standardization bodies are developing criteria for repairability, with EN45554:2020 being a key standard defining design and service-related criteria.

Limitations of current legislation 

Despite progress, the current legislation has limitations:

  • Only a small number of product categories, such as servers, TVs, refrigerators, and smartphones, are covered by repair requirements.
  • Manufacturers often opt for replacement over repair during the warranty period.
  • Independent repairers and refurbishers face restrictions due to manufacturer conditions and procedures. For example, refurbishers lack access to spare parts except for smartphones and tablets.
  • Consumers have limited access to internal parts for self-repair.

A universal ‘Right to Repair’ vision 

A true ‘Right to Repair’ should be universal, granting everyone access to spare parts and repair manuals throughout a product’s lifespan. Refurbishment should also be encouraged alongside repair to provide affordable and sustainable options. The EU must recognize repair and refurbishment as key future industries. Techniques that restrict repair outside manufacturers’ networks should be banned, and a repair score should be included in energy labels to inform consumers about repairability and repair costs.

The need for a circular economy law 

The EU should propose a new circular economy law prioritizing repair and refurbishment to extend product lifespans and reduce environmental impact. This legislation must align with the waste hierarchy, emphasizing the sustainability of extending product life through repair. The European Commission should establish horizontal requirements applicable to a wide range of products and broaden the scope of existing legislation.

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