Right to Repair: directive adopted

On 13 June, the EU institutions signed the final act of the Right to Repair Directive. The directive aims to promote more sustainable consumption by making it easier to repair defective goods, reducing waste and supporting the repair sector.

Manufacturers will now be obliged to repair products that are deemed technically repairable. In addition, sellers will be required to give priority to repair when it is cheaper or equal to the cost of replacement. For certain products, the right to repair continues after the end of the guarantee period.

So far, the products covered by the directive are mainly appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers or refrigerators, and electronic goods such as mobile phones or screens. However, the Commission is expected to expand the list of products covered by the directive.

The legislation still needs to be published in the Official Journal, entering into force 20 days thereafter, then giving Member States 24 months to transpose the directive into national law.