Table 1. Policy initiatives in the EU... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1.

Policy initiatives in the EU supporting the consumer repair of electronic and electrical devices

	Policy measure	Aim	Limitations
Production/design	1. Extended ecodesign rules with minimum durability and repairability standards	Banning clauses and techniques hindering repairs; advocating for faster delivery and fair pricing of spare parts; allowing the use of 3D-printed or second-hand parts	Applicable to limited products and parts; “reasonable price” for spare parts is undefined; loopholes persist due to factors such as intellectual property rights and design trade-offs between durability, recyclability and repairability
Production/design	2. Batteries regulation	Portable batteries should be easily removable and replaceable by end-users	From 2027, “reasonable price” for spare batteries is undefined; many exceptions remain
Purchase	3. Repairability labels	Repairability scores will be indicated on the packaging	Still unclear what criteria and products will be included, will start from June 2025 for smartphones and tablets
Use-phase	4. Warranty extensions	Extension of seller’s liability period by 12 months after a product is repaired under warranty	Even if manufacturers must inform consumers about repair options, replacements can still be justified in some cases
	5. European online repair platform	Providing consumers with information on repair services and community-led repair initiatives	It is still unclear what criteria will be included; however, no compulsory quality standards are foreseen
	6. European repair information form	Consumers will be able to request a cost calculation with binding conditions from any repairer, which must be free of charge	It will be optional for repair services to provide such forms
Entire lifecycle	7. Digital product passport	A documentation tool offering information about a product’s lifecycle, materials and parts, including data on repairability	It is still unclear what data will be included, only foreseen for specific product categories

	Policy measure	Aim	Limitations
Production/design	1. Extended ecodesign rules with minimum durability and repairability standards	Banning clauses and techniques hindering repairs; advocating for faster delivery and fair pricing of spare parts; allowing the use of 3D-printed or second-hand parts	Applicable to limited products and parts; “reasonable price” for spare parts is undefined; loopholes persist due to factors such as intellectual property rights and design trade-offs between durability, recyclability and repairability
Production/design	2. Batteries regulation	Portable batteries should be easily removable and replaceable by end-users	From 2027, “reasonable price” for spare batteries is undefined; many exceptions remain
Purchase	3. Repairability labels	Repairability scores will be indicated on the packaging	Still unclear what criteria and products will be included, will start from June 2025 for smartphones and tablets
Use-phase	4. Warranty extensions	Extension of seller’s liability period by 12 months after a product is repaired under warranty	Even if manufacturers must inform consumers about repair options, replacements can still be justified in some cases
	5. European online repair platform	Providing consumers with information on repair services and community-led repair initiatives	It is still unclear what criteria will be included; however, no compulsory quality standards are foreseen
	6. European repair information form	Consumers will be able to request a cost calculation with binding conditions from any repairer, which must be free of charge	It will be optional for repair services to provide such forms
Entire lifecycle	7. Digital product passport	A documentation tool offering information about a product’s lifecycle, materials and parts, including data on repairability	It is still unclear what data will be included, only foreseen for specific product categories

Source(s):

Authors’ own work, based on EU 2024/1781, EU 2023/1542, EU 2024/1799; adapted from Dalhammar and Maitre-Ekern (2024)