EU to extend consumers’ right to repair damaged devices

By Agnes Szucs

BRUSSELS (AA) - The European Commission presented on Wednesday a legal draft to extend consumer rights to have their damaged electronic devices repaired, even beyond the guarantee.

With the aim to support “sustainable consumption,” the EU executive body proposed an update to the EU rules on the right to repair, EU Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders announced at a news conference.

He explained that the EU wants to make repairs “easier, more accessible and more attractive” for consumers and make companies develop an eco-friendlier business model.

The new rules would encourage consumers “to use products longer by having them repaired when they break down, rather than throwing them away and buying a new one,” he added.

The new law would be applicable to all products technically reparable under EU law, including TVs, washing machines, smartphones, and tablets.

If the damage occurs within the legal guarantee, the sellers would be obliged to offer repair as an option instead of automatically replacing the device, except for the cases when fixing costs are significantly more than changing it.

As another novelty, consumers will be granted the right to turn to the producers for repair even beyond the expiration of the guarantee.

The European Commission also intends to set up online platforms to find repair possibilities and a certificate system informing consumers about the conditions of the service.

EU member states and the European Parliament has yet to adopt the proposal.