The EU Parliament and Council recently agreed a deal on a directive which promotes the repair of broken or defective products. The Right to Repair Directive, or R2R, makes it easier for consumers to prolong the life of goods and to eliminate business practices which prevent or inhibit the ability for goods to be repaired independently. In this article, we take a look at the proposed directive and consider what this will mean for businesses.
What is the Right to Repair Directive?
The EU Right to Repair Directive is a proposal made by the European Commission to help consumers to prolong the life of goods they purchase. The proposal, originally put forwards in March 2023, sets out a range of tools to make it easier for consumers to choose to repair products independently and affordably. The directive supports the EU’s aims to drive sustainable consumption under the European Green Deal.
In many cases today, repairable goods are disposed of when defects occur. The directive intends to encourage repair and reuse of a broad range of products, thereby reducing waste and also stimulating a repair sector in the economy.
Key Elements
There are four key elements to consider in R2R:
- Manufacturer Repair: The directive states that where goods are repairable, consumers have the right to return them to the original manufacturer for repair.
- Repair Information Form: This proposal puts in place a consistent form which repairers, either original manufacturer or an independent repairer, can provide clear information to the consumer. This will cover such information as time to repair, prices, the parts which are replaceable and the conditions under which repairs are possible.
- Repair Online Platform: To support matching consumers with qualified repair organisations, a proposal is included to develop a European online repair platform.
- Extended Liability Period: Once a repair has taken place, the liability for the work carried out will be extended by 12 months by the repairer.
Scope
The directive covers a small range or products which have already been defined under eco-design rules. These include washing machines, refrigerators, dryers, dishwashers and smartphones. The directive framework provides policy makers an instrument to extend this scope to other products as the repair market sector evolves.
R2R - Related Policies
The EU has already agreed new directives related to producing more sustainable products within the bloc. The Eco-Design for Sustainable Products Directive (ESPR) and the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive (ECGT), both combine to create more sustainable products and consumption inside the EU. ESPR focuses on the supply side of consumption, directing producers to create products with more sustainable designs. ECGT focuses on the consumption side of the market, providing consumers with clear and accurate information about products, enabling more sustainable choices.
Combined with R2R, these three policies strive to have an accumulative effect in driving sustainable consumption within the EU. Through these instruments, products will be designed better, when they eventually break, they can be repaired more easily and in purchasing them, consumers will be making better informed choices.
What does this mean for business?
How can we help?
We help businesses to adopt and integrate EU policies such as R2R into their operating model. Our experts work with our global clients, supporting them to adopt CSRD, CSDDD and other directives under the European Green Deal.
To learn more about how we can help your business, drop us an email hello@jordisk.com and one of our team will be in touch to arrange a call.
