EU overhaul of appliance and electronics repairs: right to repair comes into force
At the end of July, the EU Right to Repair Directive enters into force. It represents one of the most significant changes to the consumer electronics market in recent years: manufacturers and distributors will be required to provide consumers with easier, more affordable and more transparent access to repair services for electronic devices. In Poland, work is currently underway on legislation implementing the Directive into national law. What exactly will change for manufacturers and consumers?
These changes have been in the making for several years. Work on the Directive began in 2022, and the final text was adopted by the European Parliament in April 2024. The next step is implementation by individual Member States. In Poland, this process is being led by the President of the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection (UOKiK), with the implementing legislation expected in the coming months.
One of the key pillars of the new rules is to encourage consumers to choose repair instead of replacement when making a warranty claim. Consumers who opt for repair will receive an additional 12 months of protection, as the seller’s liability for conformity of the goods with the contract will be extended once by one year. Sellers will also be required to inform consumers both about their right to choose between repair and replacement and about the consequences of each option.
“This is a genuine shift in the philosophy of after-sales customer service. Until now, repair has often been less attractive than replacement because consumers risked losing part of their warranty protection. Extending the seller’s liability by an additional year is intended to reverse this trend and genuinely encourage customers to choose repair services,” comments Dominik Dobek, Programme Director at the Digital Poland Association.
The obligation to repair will primarily fall on manufacturers
The new rules will mainly affect manufacturers and other participants in the supply chain. For companies established outside the European Union, responsibility will fall on their authorised representatives, importers or distributors.
According to the Digital Poland Association, this is particularly important in light of the growing imports of low-cost devices, especially from Chinese e-commerce platforms, where repairing products from unknown manufacturers is often either impossible or economically unjustifiable.
“Major, well-known manufacturers already provide high-quality repair services. The real challenge concerns lower-cost imports from outside the EU, where consumers are often left with defective products and no realistic repair options. The new rules are designed to change this by extending responsibility to importers and distributors as well,” adds Dominik Dobek.
Not every device and not every repair
It is important to note that the new legislation does not create an obligation to repair every product free of charge. For the time being, the scope of products covered by the rules is limited. It includes washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers, refrigeration appliances, vacuum cleaners, televisions, mobile phones and tablets. However, this list is not exhaustive and may be expanded in the future to include additional product categories.
The Directive is also intended to improve the availability of spare parts and repair tools, which are often the deciding factor in whether a repair is economically viable. Manufacturers supplying spare parts will be required to price them in a way that does not discourage repairs. They will also be prohibited from refusing repairs simply because a product has previously been serviced by an independent repair provider, or from imposing unjustified technical, hardware, software or contractual barriers that make repairs more difficult.
The new rules do not impose fixed price lists for repair services, but they aim to eliminate situations where excessive repair costs effectively discourage consumers from repairing their products. Repairs should be provided either free of charge or at a reasonable price and within a reasonable timeframe. While waiting for their own device to be returned, consumers may be offered a replacement device. If repair proves impossible, manufacturers may offer a refurbished product — a used or previously unpacked device that has been professionally tested and restored to full working condition.
A step towards a circular economy
Another innovation is the introduction of a European Repair Information Form — a standard document describing the defect, the scope of the repair, the price, the expected completion date, and any diagnostic or transport costs. Its use will remain voluntary, but if a business chooses to issue the form, the terms presented will be binding for 30 days. Consumers will also benefit from a new European online platform designed to help them search for and compare repair service providers.
“The Right to Repair is a natural continuation of the changes that have been taking place in the European electronics market for years — first in the area of energy efficiency, and now with regard to product durability and repairability. It is another important step towards a circular economy and a meaningful reduction in electronic waste,” concludes Dominik Dobek.