Right to Repair: the key to a circular future?

Wat is de Right to Repair? 

"In a circular economy, the value of materials and raw materials is preserved through reuse, recycling and thus repair. The 'right to repair' is a European directive that promotes repair of broken products. The European Council and the European Parliament reached a preliminary agreement on the European Commission's proposal on 2 February.  Given recent political turmoil surrounding the European Green Deal, it remains exciting when the directive will be formally adopted. After adoption, member states have two years to implement the directive nationally. So we are talking about 2026 before the Right to Repair really comes into force."

Why is the Right to Repair important for the circular economy and the climate?

"The right to repair extends the lifespan of products. Contrary to what many people think, that is the biggest contribution you can make to the circular economy. Much greater than that of recycling, for example. It's very simple: by repairing, you postpone the moment when the product becomes waste, so we generate less waste per year. Moreover, you also postpone the need to produce new, replacement goods - after all, you still have enough left on your repaired product. That in turn saves a lot of raw materials and CO2 emissions. In this way, repair also contributes to climate goals. Another advantage that not everyone realises is that repairs also create a lot of jobs. That is important because, on the other hand, jobs will also disappear if fewer new items are needed."

What will entrepreneurs soon notice about the right to repair?

"As the proposal looks now, entrepreneurs will not notice much of it for the time being. The manufacturer will be obliged to carry out the necessary repair within a reasonable time (unless it is free of charge) and at a reasonable price. But yes, especially the latter remains an issue. What stops people from repairing is that buying a new product is cheaper in the many cases. The proposal does not change that. Moreover, so far it is limited to appliances covered by the Ecodesign Directive. These are appliances like washing machines, refrigerators and hoovers. What does arrive is an additional warranty period of at least 12 months after repair, a European repair form for companies to give to their customers and a European online repair platform to give consumers more overview of the possibilities."