The
European
Union
has
officially
adopted
a
new
set
of
right-to-repair
rules
designed
to
encourage
people
to
repair
broken
devices,
rather
than
replace
them.
One
of
the
rules
extends
a
product’s
warranty
by
one
year
if
it’s
repaired
while
still
covered.
The
European
Union
already
requires
companies
to
offer
a
two-year
minimum
warranty
on
products,
but
these
new
rules
take
things
a
step
further.
Even
after
the
warranty
period
ends,
companies
are
“still
required
to
repair
common
household
products,”
including
smartphones,
TVs,
washing
machines,
vacuum
cleaners,
and
other
items.
If
a
product
breaks
while
under
warranty,
consumers
can
choose
between
a
replacement
or
a
repair.
If
they
choose
to
repair,
the
warranty
will
be
extended
for
a
year.
The
rules
say
companies
must
offer
repairs
for
a
“reasonable”
price
so
that
customers
aren’t
“intentionally
deterred”
from
getting
their
product
fixed.
It
will
also
require
manufacturers
to
provide
spare
parts
and
tools,
while
also
barring
them
from
using
“contractual
clauses,
hardware
or
software
techniques
that
obstruct
repairs.”
Manufacturers
won’t
be
able
to
stop
the
use
of
3D-printed
or
second-hand
parts
by
independent
repair
shops,
or
refuse
to
repair
a
product
due
to
economic
reasons
— or
even
if
it
was
repaired
by
an
outside
party
in
the
past.
Additionally,
the
EU
plans
to
launch
an
online
platform
that’s
supposed
to
help
customers
find
local
repair
shops,
sellers
of
used
products,
and
people
who
buy
defective
items.
The
new
rules
will
go
into
effect
once
they’re
approved
by
the
Council
and
published
in
the
EU
Official
Journal.
Members
of
the
EU
will
have
two
years
to
adopt
it
as
law.
The
Right
to
Repair
Europe
coalition
applauded
the
new
rules,
calling
it
“a
step
in
the
right
direction”.
But
the
coalition
also
noted
limits
to
the
EU
rules,
such
as
that
they
only
covers
consumer
products,
so
wouldn’t
include
anything
purchased
by
businesses
or
industrial
goods.
Manufacturers
must
supply
third-party
independent
repair
shops
with
spare
parts
and
tools
for
a
“reasonable
price”
under
the
new
rules,
but
the
coalition
said
there’s
no
guidance
on
what
that
means
—
effectively
leaving
it
up
to
companies
to
decide
what
to
charge.
The
coalition
also
said
that
a
ban
on
practices
that
impede
repair,
such
as
Apple’s
use
of
parts
pairing,
didn’t
go
far
enough.
Companies
don’t
have
to
comply
with
the
ban
if
it
can
cite
“legitimate
and
objective
factors”
— including
the
protection
of
its
intellectual
property
rights.
The
coalition
called
the
exemption
“very
blurry”
and
argued
that
it
left
“the
door
open”
for
manufacturers
to
continue
blocking
outside
repair
of
their
products.
The
coalition
criticized
the
“narrow
scope”
of
the
rules
as
well,
claiming
that
they
wouldn’t
impact
most
new
products
that
enter
the
EU
market.
The
products
covered
by
the
new
rules
are
apparently
already
covered
under
an
existing
EU
law
that
requires
many
appliances
and
electronics
to
be
repairable
for
a
period
of
5
to
10
years
after
purchase,
including
washing
machines,
dryers,
dishwashers,
fridges,
TVs,
e-bikes,
scooters,
welders,
vacuum
cleaners,
phones,
tablets and
more.
“In
essence,
its
main
effect
will
be
to
somewhat
increase
the
chances
that
the
small
number
of
products
that
already
had
to
be
repairable
by
law
anyway,
will
actually
end
up
being
repaired,”
wrote
the
coalition.
Meanwhile,
the
US
is
making
headway
on
right-to-repair-laws
as
well.
In
the
absence
of
a
federal
right-to-repair
law,
more
than
two-dozen
states
are
working
on
individual
right-to
repair
legislation.
California’s
law
officially
goes
into
effect
this
July,
and
will
require
manufacturers
to
make
repair
materials
available
for
all
electronics
and
appliances
that
cost
$50
or
more.
Original author: Emma Roth
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