It is well known by all that the devices Current ones do not last as long as they should and how far is that almost immortality of some household appliances or mobile phones from 20 years ago. All of our technology breaks down sooner and later and it’s something to which the European Union wants to provide a solution.
The first step in relation to this problem was taken in 2021 when they ruled that manufacturers must ensure that their appliances can be repaired for up to 10 years, that parts are available for at least a decade and that a repair manual is included.
Now to all this we must add a novelty. The European Commission wants to strengthen this normative adding that companies that sell home appliances in the EU offer repairs (instead of simply replacing a damaged device) free of charge within a statutory warranty period (10 years), unless it’s cheaper to replace a damaged item.
All this stems from the idea of reducing the number of devices that are discarded each year. “To help reduce the enormous mountain of electrical waste that accumulates each year on the continent”explains the EU in a press release.
The EU wants to facilitate the repair of household appliances
the new rules promise to increase affordability. “We have analyzed the numbers and even if I take them with a grain of salt: over the next 15 years, repairs could generate total savings of €176 billion, or €25 per consumer per year.”said Didier Reynders, EU Commissioner for Justice.
Initially There is talk of household appliances or computer hardware but they plan to include the mobile sector soon. Manufacturers will also be required to inform consumers about which products they are responsible for repairing, and consumers will be able to request a new repair information form from anyone performing a repair that makes pricing and fees more transparent.
Today, if your mobile exceeds the legal warranty (2 years) and it becomes defective, then you have no options. But with “right to repair” regulations, manufacturers will be obligated to repair products for up to 5-10 years after purchase (unless repair is impossible).
“Repair is key to ending the ‘take, make, break and throw away’ model that is so damaging to our planet, our health and our economy”said Frans Timmermans, executive vice president of the European Green Deal, which aims to make all European Union carbon neutral by 2050.
Despite this apparent good news, This novelty is not without criticism. The Right to Repair coalition said in a statement that “To reduce the price of repairs, we need to open up the aftermarket for parts, repair manuals and diagnostic tools to independent repairers, all those who are not in the manufacturer’s network.”
To this they add the great problem that certain companies such as Apple have carried out. Those known as “planned obsolescence tactics” are not included in this new normative. Simply put, these manufacturing practices often force customers to replace their products or limit the accessibility of repairs, as happened with the iPhone 13 in 2021.