EU Right to Repair Directive: What It Means for Businesses and Consumers
About the Author: Analoli Del Cueto Menendez
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In a world ruled by fast consumption, the EU is pushing back with an initiative designed to reduce premature product disposals and make repairs the norm. While many remain unaware of the legal guarantees already attached to their purchases, the EU Right to Repair Directive (R2RD) is now here to raise consumer awareness about their rights, expand those guarantees, and accelerate the bloc’s transition into a circular economy.
In this article, we’ll discuss all the changes which will be introduced by the R2RD once it starts applying in 2026. This includes the new requirements established for European sellers, the connections between the Directive and other EU policies, and the expected impacts on different sectors.
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What is the EU Right to Repair Directive?
The Right to Repair Directive is part of the EU’s effort to move towards a circular economy, and the fulfilment of the goals established in its Green Deal. Designed to reduce the premature disposal of goods, it encourages consumers to choose repair over replacement, by making businesses responsible for providing convenient repair options, even beyond the legal guarantee period.
This represents a major shift, as many consumers aren’t even aware that their purchases come with a two-year legal guarantee to request a repair, replacement, or refund for defective products, as per the EU Sales of Goods Directive.
When lack of awareness is not the issue, consumers will often still find it easier to replace a faulty product, rather than go through the complex and sometimes costly repair processes they are currently faced with.
Key Requirements Established by the R2RD
One important thing to note is that repair is a consumer right, which has to be claimed in order to be fulfilled. This means that consumers must be the ones kick-starting the process, by reaching out to producer or seller companies and assessing their options.
On the business side, a much longer set of requirements must be met according to the R2RD, which include:
- Repair options beyond the legal guarantee: For products considered technically repairable under EU law, businesses must offer repair options even beyond the two-year legal guarantee period. They may rely on third-party repair providers to meet these obligations, but must ensure that consumers have access to timely and cost-effective repair services.
- Extended legal guarantee: If a product is repaired within the two-year legal guarantee period, this guarantee is automatically extended for a minimum of 12 months from the moment the product is deemed conformant. Sellers must inform consumers about this guarantee extension before they make a decision between repair or replacement.
- Increased transparency: Businesses must inform consumers about their rights to repair and provide transparent information about repair options, including costs and the availability of spare parts. This information must be clear, easily accessible, and free of charge.
- Instructions and spare part availability: Manufacturers must ensure that spare parts are available at reasonable prices, as well as provide all the relevant repair instructions and details to both consumers and repair professionals.
Companies from outside the EU, but commercialising goods within the Single Market, will be obligated to ensure that these new requirements are met.
Member States will also be free to introduce obligations that go beyond those of the R2RD, as long as they align with its requirements. Therefore, producers should carefully track how the R2RD is implemented across different EU countries.
Additional measures to encourage repairs over replacements
Changing current consumption patterns and business practices to create a repair culture is no easy feat, so the new Directive comes with some interesting measures to further incentivise this transition:
- The introduction of the European Repair Information Form, which consumers will be able to request from any repairer. It will contain essential information about their repair services, such as cost, timeframe, service conditions, and other details that make it easier for consumers to compare repair offers.
- The establishment of a European quality standard for repair services will help consumers identify repair providers who adhere to higher quality standards. Any repairer willing to meet minimum quality requirements, service timeframes and product availability, for example, will be eligible to receive this “easy repair” label.
- The creation of a European online matchmaking repair platform, to help consumers find local repair shops, refurbished goods sellers, and other repair initiatives, even filtering their selection by location and quality standards.
- An obligation for all Member states to also implement at least one policy measure focused on promoting repair over replacement, be it an information campaign, a VAT tax reduction on repair services, or another initiative of their choice.
The R2RD’s Scope and its Effects on Different Sectors
The requirements listed above apply to all products considered technically repairable under EU law, and which are detailed in Annex II of the Directive. This means that not all consumer goods are currently under the scope, but the number of affected products should grow quickly. Any new repairability requirements established by other EU policies, such as the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR), will cause the European Commission to update Annex II, expanding the R2RD’s scope.
As new repairability requirements are introduced, the R2RD will automatically start applying to them within 12 months of the relevant legislation’s adoption.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Products
ICT products such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets are some of the most significant categories covered by the R2RD. Given their high rate of obsolescence, ensuring the repairability of these products is essential for reducing electronic waste.
A lot will certainly change in how the ICT industry currently handles repairs, making it easier for consumers to stick with their gadgets for longer. Manufacturers can no longer refuse to fix goods previously repaired by third party services, for example, or bar the use of second-hand or compatible spare parts by independent repairers.
Textiles & Outdoor Products
While textiles and outdoor products (such as sporting goods and camping gear) are not yet directly covered by the R2RD, this might change. Since it’s likely that such products will soon be the target of the ESPR’s ecodesign measures, which could include repairability requirements, companies in these sectors should closely monitor the EU policy landscape and act early to ensure compliance. Possible requirements include providing spare buttons and/or general repair instructions. However, the specific rules for textile repairability are still undetermined.
New Market Dynamics
An interesting aspect of the Directive is that it opens up the after-sales market for repairs, allowing third-party repairers to potentially compete with manufacturers because repair outside of the legal guarantee can be offered for a reasonable price. While this competition could turn into losses for certain companies, it also presents an opportunity for businesses to develop new, sustainable business models centred around repair services.
The Connection Between the R2RD and Other EU Policies
The Right to Repair Directive is aligned to several existing EU laws, such as the Empowering Consumers Directive, that promote consumer protection, as well as sustainable product design and consumption. Here’s a summary of how it relates to some of the most key policies within the EU legislative framework:
| EU Policy | Purpose | Connection to the R2RD |
| Sales of Goods Directive (2019/771) | Establishes rules on the conformity of goods, providing remedies for defective products and guaranteeing a minimum two-year legal warranty across the EU. | The R2RD complements this policy by allowing the extension of this guarantee if consumers choose repair over replacement, and obliging repairs after the legal guarantee expires. |
| Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) – Delegated Acts | Establishes a framework for setting ecodesign requirements on specific product groups.
It enables the setting of performance and information conditions – known as ‘ecodesign requirements’ – for almost all categories of physical goods (with some exceptions, such as food and feed, as defined in Regulation 178/2002), including to improve product durability, reparability, recyclability, and overall environmental performance. |
The R2RD establishes that all products that have repairability requirements at EU level must be repairable within and beyond its legal guarantee, and creates new requirements regarding the availability of spare parts.
This ensures that only the products that are repairable by design are subject to the R2RD obligations. |
| Consumer Rights Directive | Aligns and harmonises national consumer rules, for example on the information consumers need to be given before they purchase goods, services or digital content, and on their right to cancel online purchases, wherever they shop in the EU. Therefore, ensuring consumers have clear information about the right to withdraw from contracts.
The directive applies to all contracts concluded between a “consumer” and a “trader”. |
Building on these two directives, the R2RD further empowers consumers’ purchasing decisions and protects them from early obsolescence practices.
It does so by raising awareness around repair rights, requiring sellers to provide critical repairability information before purchase, and prohibiting them from hindering third party repairs in any way. |
| Empowering Consumers Directive | Enhances consumer protection by ensuring clear, accurate product information by having more information on durability and repairability of products at the point of sale, combating greenwashing and empowering consumers to make informed, sustainable choices. |
The Difference Between Legal Guarantee, Commercial Guarantee and Repairability Requirements
To fully understand what changes with the R2RD, it’s important to recognise the differences between a legal guarantee, also known as seller’s liability, a commercial guarantee, and repairability requirements, under EU law.
Legal Guarantee: The legal guarantee is a mandatory, two-year minimum protection for new goods, covering defects that existed at the time of delivery. This guarantee applies in all EU countries, without exceptions.
Commercial Guarantee: This is an optional warranty provided by the seller or producer, either for free or at a cost, that extends beyond the legal guarantee and may cover defects not present at the time of delivery, potentially for more than two years.
Repairability requirements: Repairability requirements do not mandate that manufacturers repair defective goods, but determines that products are designed to be repairable. These requirements can be established through relevant EU laws, such as delegated acts under the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation.
Final Thoughts on The EU Right to Repair Directive
Having entered into force in late July, the R2RD will start applying to sales contracts concluded after July 31st, 2026. The EU then has until July 2027 to introduce the online platform that will help streamline consumer’s access to repair services, and by July 2029 Member States should be ready to implement measures promoting repairs over replacement, for example in the form of repair vouchers, repair funds or support to local repair initiatives. Such measures can be supported by EU funds, as is already the case in some member states.
Since the next policy update is never too far away, staying ahead of these new requirements will be crucial for EU businesses from multiple sectors, including those currently not under the Directive’s scope. So don’t miss out on the game-changing opportunities that lie within the new R2RD, and get in touch with our team to discuss how we can help you develop a winning strategy for the EU’s green future.
Want someone with deep experience and connections in the EU to help guide your sustainability strategy? Get in touch!
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