The European Union has been tackling the device repair market for quite some time. And now, it's making clear that companies must do right by consumers.
The EU's parliament on Tuesday (Apr. 23) voted to support a broad right to repair and warranty bill that paves the way for sweeping changes in how manufacturers and product sellers provide support for their devices. The new rules will now require that all manufacturers provide "timely and cost-effective repair services." Instead of being forced to offer warranties for two years, companies will now be required to enforce warranties on all products for three years.
The parliament said in a statement that "Manufacturers will have to provide spare parts and tools at a reasonable price and will be prohibited from using contractual clauses, hardware or software techniques that obstruct repairs."
The EU specifically said that manufacturers will not be allowed to use second-hand or 3D-printed spare parts to repair products, and they'll also be banned from saying they can't repair a device "because it was previously repaired by someone else."
But whether that will happen remains to be seen, and there's plenty left to do before the program actually gets off the ground. The EU said that it next plans to launch an "online platform" where consumers across all the member states will be able to "easily find local repair shops, sellers of refurbished goods, buyers of defective items or community-led repair initiatives, such as repair cafes."
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