New rights to repair broken phones, bikes and kitchen appliances to
follow EU vote
The law would oblige goods producers to repair certain products even if
they fall outside of the scope of a legal guarantee.
Mark Hilliard
Irish consumers will soon have extended rights to have broken products
such as smartphones repaired by manufacturers rather than dumping and
replacing them following a successful European vote on Tuesday.
Although aimed in particular at white goods such as washing machines,
the initiative will also include bicycles and phones and is designed to
feed the circular economy and reduce waste.
The law would oblige goods producers to repair certain products even if
they fall outside of the scope of a legal guarantee. They would have to
carry parts and make repairs at a reasonable cost.
It would also compel them to carry out free repairs within a legal
guarantee period unless too expensive, impossible or inconvenient to
consumers.
Tuesday’s vote secured almost universal political support, passing by
590 votes to 15 against, with 15 abstentions.
Green MEP Ciaran Cuffe who supported it said according to the European
Environmental Bureau, extending the lifetime of white goods specifically
would save four million tonnes of greenhouse gasses annually, the
equivalent of removing two million cars off the road.
The European Commission has estimated consumers lose almost €12 billion
per year by choosing to replace goods that could have been repaired.
“It will lead to a saving in greenhouse gas emissions so it all ties
into the European Green Deal which is about reducing the environmental
impacts of what we do,” he said.
In practical terms, he added, it will help broaden repair options for
consumers and not replace or threaten the viability of existing
independent repair services.
“[Producers] cannot refuse to repair it if someone else has repaired it
previously,” he said.
The law is expected to come into force in about early 2025 once a final
agreement is thrashed out. Last month, the Parliament’s Internal Market
and Consumer Protection committee adopted the “right to repair” position
for consumers, with 38 votes in favour, and just two against.
MEPs have supported incentives for consumers to choose repairs over
replacement within the product’s liability period, such as extending its
guarantee period by one year for doing so.
They will also seek agreement from member states to promote repairs with
financial incentives including vouchers and national repair funds.
Ireland’s Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) will
likely become the statutory body to oversee the legislation. On Tuesday,
a spokeswoman said it “supports any improvements in legislation which
help consumers with the day-to-day issues they may face”.
Irish Times
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