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Manufacturers of televisions, smartphones, laptops, whitegoods, and other consumer electronics goods will be forced to repair broken products for up to ten years under a new proposal from
the European Union. The European Commission on Wednesday announced a proposal that would require manufacturers and vendors to perform repairs for between five and ten years for free, if
doing so would be cheaper than replacing the item. The items covered will include household washing machines and household washer-dryers, household dishwashers, refrigerating appliances,
electronic displays, welding equipment, vacuum cleaners, and servers and data storage, as well as mobile phones, cordless phones, and tablets. This is a measure designed to cut down on
e-waste, and will also fold into the larger Right To Repair reform doing the motions through the European Parliament and Council. The EU estimates this move would save 18.5 million tons of
greenhouse gas emissions, 1.8 million tons of resources, and 3 million tons of waste, over the next 15 years. “Repairs reduce waste, and result in savings for consumers,” the European
Commission said in a statement. “Additionally, more demand will translate into a boost to the repair sector, while incentivising producers and sellers to develop more sustainable business
models. The proposal will make it easier and more cost-effective for consumers to pursue repair as opposed to replacement, both within and beyond the legal guarantee.”