Hoping to accelerate a shift away from a disposable culture, the European Parliament on Wednesday called on the European Commission to grant consumers a ‘right to repair’ by making repairs on goods they buy more appealing, systematic and cost-efficient.
The move is in tune with public opinion. According to a Eurobarometer survey, 77 per cent of EU citizens would rather repair their devices than replace them while 79 per cent think that manufacturers should be legally obliged to facilitate the repair of digital devices or the replacement of their individual parts.
Their resolution, adopted by 395 votes in favour, 94 against and 207 abstentions, is a call for action boost sustainability by promoting reuse and repairs and by tackling practices that shorten the lifespan of products.
Proposals include extending guarantees, providing guarantees for replaced parts, better access to information on repair and maintenance, increased support for second-hand goods markets and measures to tackle practices that shorten the lifetime of a product, and endorse sustainable production.
MEPs reiterated their demand for a common charger system to reduce electronic waste and said products should be labelled according to their durability (e.g. a usage meter and clear information on the estimated lifespan of a product).
To encourage sustainable business and consumer choices, MEPs are pushing for more sustainable public procurement as well as responsible marketing and advertising. For example, when environmentally friendly claims are made in advertisements, common criteria should be applied to support such a claim – similar to obtaining ecolabel certifications. The resolution also calls for the role of the EU ecolabel to be boosted so that it is used more by industry and to raise awareness among consumers.
Finally, the adopted text proposes new rules for waste management and the removal of legal obstacles that prevent repair, resale, and reuse. This will also benefit the secondary raw material market.
“The time has come to use the Green Deal objectives as the foundation of a single market that promotes durable products and services by design. To achieve this, we need a comprehensive set of rules that facilitates clear and simple decisions in place of technical amendments that lack political courage and which confuse both consumers and businesses. By adopting this report, the European Parliament sent a clear message: harmonised mandatory labelling indicating durability and tackling premature obsolescence at EU level are the way forward,” said Rapporteur David Cormand, a Greens MEP.
