If there is a date marked in red European consumer purchasing calendar The so-called Black Friday (and Cyber Monday, which comes three days later). A commercial event held this year Friday, November 24 and it became a golden opportunity Buying all kinds of products at more affordable prices than usual, thanks to the attractive discounts offered by stores and large businesses, especially on the internet. This is a practice that primarily benefits citizens’ pockets – according to OCU, Spaniards will spend an average of 237 euros – but it also has repercussions on another, less positive reality: increase in waste and emissions By causing the replacement of waste products even though they are repairable.
“What we are doing now is not sustainable. There is something wrong with our society. Use and throw away. We have a business model where consumers buy a new product every two years. Many products are produced and there are many jobs producing them, there are many revenues and taxes, (but) Europe’s economic model is based on rapid consumption, which is unsustainable. We must lead Europe towards a paradigm shift, and the right to repair is fundamental to this,” says the German Social Democrat MP. René Repasi.
figures processed by European CommissionPresenting the proposal last March as something that would contribute to the circular economy and meet the objectives of the European Green Deal, it says it all: premature disposal of end-of-life products produces 261 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, requiring the use of 30 million tonnes of resources. It produces 35 million tonnes of waste every year in the EU, costing consumers (who prefer replacement rather than repair) around $12 billion.
More repairable items
The goal is to end this vicious circle with a new law that will complete it. eco design directive This agreement, which creates the framework for the repairability of products and is under review, aims to ensure that their products are repairable with clearer obligations and requirements by encouraging consumers to choose repair and printing manufacturers. And the Council, which approved it this Wednesday, negotiating positionIt has taken a giant step in this direction, as has the European Parliament, which overwhelmingly approved its own resolutions with 590 votes in favour, 15 against and 15 abstentions.
The aim is to launch Interinstitutional negotiations on December 7Still EU under the Spanish Presidency, trying to shut down the rule before the end of the legislature. “We all know that we will face a question in the election campaign: What has Europe done for me? This would be great at the last plenary session before the meeting. election campaign We assert the right to repair. “It would be foolish not to close this dossier,” he warns the speaker about the importance of showing European consumers a practical example of the benefits of Europe and a dossier that has support from left and right.
The offer aims to ensure that defective products are repaired. During the period two year warranty sellers will have to prioritize repairAs long as it is cheaper or costs the same as replacing the product, unless the repair is convenient or inconvenient for the consumer. Outside the warranty period, the rule strengthens rights, although it does not go as far as everyone would like. nor solution hierarchy is offered: make repairs only if it is cheaper and only if it does not cause “significant inconvenience” to the consumer.
“We Greens would want the statutory warranty to be in line with the expected lifespan of a product. In addition, if repair costs are covered for more than two years, it would make more sense to buy a slightly more expensive product. “They have put the brakes on the task of making the right to repair even more effective for the green transformation,” says the environmentalist MP. Anna CavazziniRegardless, it highlights the progress the standard will represent.
Between Changes proposed by the European Parliament In recent negotiations with governments, Legal warranty for another year after repair (The Council recommends six months, but Member States may extend this period), the right to have a product repaired directly by the manufacturer and not just by the dealer as is currently the case, and independent and competitive repair market It ensures that users, restorers and repairers have access to all spare parts and replacement parts, repair information and tools, at a reasonable cost for the life of the device and that manufacturers do not prevent repair through any contract, hardware or software.
To make this easierchange in the behavior of the chip Member States will need to create online platforms where they can find consumers. local repair services and refurbished product sellers easier. “Today, only one fifth of mobile phones are repaired, which is a huge waste of resources. Mobile phone companies have created a repair monopoly. They release software that prevents anyone else from repairing them. With the right to repair, we are breaking this monopoly,” says the EPP MP. Arba Cocas.
Regarding the scope of application, the European Parliament wants to recognize the right to repair products such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, smart mobile phones and even bicycles, but it may be possible to expand the list in the future in line with the eco-design regulation. “The more products there are, the easier it is for consumers and the better it is for the planet,” says Greens. To convince citizens that repair is best, the European Parliament is calling on manufacturers to loan spare devices for the duration of the repair.
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Additionally, in order to make repairs more affordable and attractive to consumers, the European Parliament bonuses and other economic incentives through national compensation funds. This is a path that only a few Member States have implemented so far. Francethrough a fund created and financed by the sector itself, Austria through repair vouchers financed by the Next Generation EU recovery fund and several German states Like Thuringia or Saxony.
“Repair should be encouraged, not imposed, on consumers, especially if their products break down within the statutory two-year warranty period. Not all goods can be adequately repaired and consumers must have the right to a good working product for the price they pay. We” hope that Member States will not agree to reduce the rights of existing consumers”, says Europe Deputy director of the Consumers Organization, Ursula Pahl.