MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

EU promoting consumers' “right to repair” by fostering the repair industry and extending products' life

The deal includes common household products such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners and even smartphones, the European Parliament said in a statement.

With environmental protection and waste reduction in mind, European Union members are working to establish a “right to repair” for consumers to encourage more sustainable consumption and boost the repair industry by making repairs more accessible and cost-effective.

“The agreement brings us closer to establishing a consumer right to repair,” said consumer protection spokesman Rene Repasi. “In the future, it will be easier and cheaper to have products repaired instead of buying new, expensive ones.”

The deal includes common household products such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners and even smartphones, the European Parliament said in a statement.

In effect the statement mentions that goods such as headphones and furniture will be exempt for the time being, but there is the possibility of adding more products to the list over time.

The agreed rules clarify manufacturers' obligations and encourage consumers to extend the life of a product by repairing it.

Key measures in the agreement include an obligation for the manufacturer to repair common household products and an additional one-year extension of the legal guarantee for repaired goods. And to make the repair process easier, a European online platform with national sections will be set up.

Once the directive is published in the EU Official Journal, member states will have 24 months to transpose it into national law.