The European Parliament and EU states must now discuss the proposals and negotiate a compromise on the proposals.
Under an EU Commission proposal, consumers should have a so-called right to repair appliances like vacuum cleaners and washing machines. “The proposal will make it easier and cheaper for consumers to repair goods rather than replace them,” the European Commission said on Wednesday. The proposal will ensure that more products are repaired within the legal warranty period, he said.
This prevents products from being thrown away unnecessarily. Once the warranty expires, the project also intends to create simpler and more economical ways of repairing technically repairable products such as vacuum cleaners, dishwashers and clothes washing machines and, later, tablets and smartphones. For five to ten years, buyers must be able to demand from manufacturers that products that can be technically repaired under EU law also be repaired. There should also be exceptions to the planned rules. Specifically, it says, “Under statutory warranty, sellers are obligated to offer a repair unless it is more expensive than an exchange.”
Online mediation platform to inform citizens
In addition, manufacturers must provide information about which products need repair. Citizens should be able to obtain information about repair services and sellers of repaired goods on a national online platform.
The European Parliament and EU states must now discuss the proposals and negotiate a compromise on the proposals. Therefore, it will take some time for consumers to benefit from the project.
In addition to consumers, the environment should also benefit from the project. The Commission argues that less discarded products would also mean less waste and less materials to manufacture. As a result, there were also less greenhouse gas emissions. It is estimated that 18.5 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, 1.8 million tons of resources and three million tons of waste will be saved in 15 years.
(APA)