The European Commission today adopted a new proposal on common rules to promote the repair of goods, which will lead to savings for consumers and support the objectives of the European Green Deal, including by reducing waste.

The proposal will make repair easier and more cost-effective for consumers, as opposed to replacing goods. In addition, the increase in demand will lead to a boost in the repair sector, while providing incentives for producers and sellers to develop more sustainable business models.

Today’s proposal will ensure that more products are repaired under statutory warranty and that consumers have easier and cheaper options for repairing products that are technically repairable (such as vacuum cleaners or, soon, tablets and smartphones) after expiry of the legal guarantee or when the good stops working due to wear and tear.