EU attempts to combat planned obsolescence by forcing electronics manufacturers to make spare parts available for longer.
The “Right to Repair” law has come into force in European Union countries. As of March 1, therefore, the life of electrical and electronic equipment will be extended, thanks to the measure that provides for the availability of spare parts beyond the warranty period provided for by current legislation.
The law, approved last November, aims to substantially reduce the production of WEEE, i.e. all those devices that belong to the category of large and small household appliances, computers, smartphones and other electrical equipment, whose growth has increased exponentially in recent years. Currently, less than 40% of WEEE is recycled, ending up accumulating inexorably among undifferentiated waste and going to clash with the choices implemented in terms of environmental sustainability and circular economy increasingly present in the European scene, such as the so-called “EU Circular Economy Action Plan”.
European law on the right to repair, what it provides
The legislation approved last year outlines the contours of repairs allowing the user to extend the life cycle of electrical and electronic equipment. In fact, according to what is stated in the law, companies in the European Union must guarantee the possibility of receiving repairs in case of damage or malfunction up to 10 years after the introduction of a product on the market.
In addition, the European legislation also provides for another fundamental point, namely the obligation to make available the essential spare parts (such as motors and motor brushes, pumps, shock absorbers and springs, washing drums, etc.) of a given appliance for at least 7-10 years after its introduction on the market. This right is addressed to manufacturers or importers and concerns professional repairers as well as private individuals, for whom types of spare parts that can be replaced without the help of a professional are reserved, who wish to repair their own devices.
European Right to Repair Law, new energy labels
At the same time as the “Right to Repair”, the introduction of the new energy label valid for four types of household appliances, i.e. refrigerators and freezers, dishwashers, washing machines and televisions, comes into force. The label will have to show not only the energy efficiency class, but also other information regarding the ecological impact of the use of the same (for a washing machine, the data will include the liters of water used per washing cycle and the duration of the cycles).
In addition, each label will have to include a QR code that, once framed, will allow to receive more useful information for consumers to make an informed choice of household appliances.