Insights

        When a product purchased by a consumer that has defects, they usually decide not to repair them, resulting in premature disposal, even though these products can be used for a longer time after repair. During the warranty period, under the legal protection of the EU Sale of Goods Directive (SGD), consumers can request sellers to provide free remedies, such as replacing or repairing the products when defects exist. However, considering the timeliness and quality, most consumers prefer to replace them, which often results in returned products becoming waste. Furthermore, the iteration and complexity of product updates have made the average lifespan shorter and made repair and recycling operations increasingly difficult.

        Especially out of the warranty period, when the seller has no obligation to provide repair services and consumers have no right to free remedies and must pay for repairs out of their own pockets, even if the damage is caused by normal wear and tear or improper use, consumers often refuse  to repair the product due to a lack of reasonable repair options and services, no confidence in the quality of repairs and services, or concerns about high repair costs. In addition, the low usage rates of refurbished and second-hand goods also limit the potential for product reuse. Discarding repairable items and replacing them with new ones will increase waste and greenhouse gas emissions and cause unnecessary waste of resources.

        To enhance the overall green transition of the European Union, support the European Green Deal and its sustainable consumption goals, and construct a circular economic ecosystem, maximizing the value of goods through sustainable consumption, reducing waste and avoiding the use of unnecessary resources and greenhouse gas emissions. The proposal mainly promotes repair activities and the establishment of the right to repair, including the extension of the producer's obligations and the construction of a mechanism for circular material flow, both in and out of the warranty period.

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In the warranty period

Establish a legal protection framework and amend the original Sale of Goods Directive (SGD). In the warranty period, repair should be the preferred remedy for product defects and flaws unless it is more expensive than replacement. Compared to the current situation, this will inevitably generate more repair activities, and consumers still have the right to demand that the product meet the contractual requirements.

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Out of the warranty period:

The proposal puts forward several measures to promote and encourage product repair and reuse- extending the producer's obligations, increasing the service life of repairs and products.

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According to the European Union's legal bill on repairability requirements, producer are obliged to provide repair services as part of the product quality guarantee, whichcan be paid or free repair, encouraging producers to construct more sustainable business models.

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Inform consumers of the producer's repair obligations and provide repair service information.

Recommends repair or refurbish service providers in the region or member states, helping consumers search and compare different repair services based on various repair conditions and prices, by improving the transparency of repair service information, encouraging consumers to repair products and facilitating the finding of sellers of second-hand goods or buyers of refurbished goods, which can help consumers find attractive repair or reuse options as an alternative to buying new products.

European Repair Information Form:

The form provides standardized key information on repair service conditions, time, and price. Consumers can request the form from any repairer, and the repairer cannot change the conditions within 30 days, allowing consumers to compare and find the most suitable service.

European quality standard for repair services:

Helps consumers identify repairers who commit to specific quality standards. The standard will increase consumer trust in the entire EU repair service.

Figure 2, Proposed options for the right to repair legislation in the European Union [5]

        The right to repair proposal, whether extending obligations or establishing platforms and standards, will increase the amount of product repair in the European Union, as shown in Figure 2. Consumers will benefit from using their products for longer periods of time, saving costs, and contributing to the overall EU economy. The repair industry will grow due to increased demand while encouraging retailers and manufacturers to develop sustainable business models. The environment will benefit from less waste, reduced demand for new resources, and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

        The right to repair proposal directive adds a new dimension to promoting repair in the after-sales environment when consumers use products. In addition, the EU also proposes the ecodesign for sustainable products, expecting to promote the reparability of products from production phase [6], and proposes a directive on empowering consumers for the green transition, letting consumers understand the reparability and durability of goods when deciding to purchase them. These three proposals cover the entire product life cycle, including design, sales, and after-sales, to achieve the "right to repair." The proposal evaluation can help increase employment, investment, and competition in the EU repair industry, while benefiting independent repairers, including small and medium-sized enterprises. The proposal can save EU consumers EUR 176.5 billion and reduce CO2 emissions by 18.4 million tons over 15 years.