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 |
| 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 | 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 | |
| Portable batteries should be easily removable and replaceable by end-users | From 2027, “reasonable price” for spare batteries is undefined; many exceptions remain | ||
| Purchase | 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 | 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 | |
| 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 | ||
| 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 | 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)
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