The European Commission's (EC) EU Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC establishes a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products* that ship/sell to the European Union (EU). More specifically, these requirements seek to improve the life span, maintenance, re-use, upgrade, recyclability, and waste handling of energy-related products.
The Ecodesign Directive also includes EU rules on "Right to Repair," which requires merchants and their manufacturers to provide access to necessary repair and maintenance information (including information on spare parts and software updates) to both consumers and regulators alike. This regulation aims to increase manufacturer responsibility, reduce energy usage and electrical waste, and enable consumers to identify the most energy-efficient products on the market.
*Energy-related products are defined as any good that has an impact on energy consumption during use. This includes products that use energy as well as products of which the insulating properties affect the energy required for heating and cooling of buildings (e.g., lamps, refrigerators, vacuum cleaners, game consoles, kitchen appliances, dishwashers, windows, etc.).
Merchants/manufacturers of such energy-related products are obligated under the Ecodesign Directive to:
(a) bear “CE marking”;
(b) be issued an “EC Declaration of Conformity”;
(c) prepare technical documents on the design and manufacture of products; and
(d) provide requisite information to consumers.
The European Parliament and Council are in negotiations to finalize the adoption of a proposal for a new Directive on the Right to Repair. The proposed Directive is expected to be adopted before the European Parliament’s elections in June 2024, so that the Directive’s repairability requirements could already apply to products marketed in the EU/EEA as of 2026-2027. Once adopted, the proposed Directive would require producers of certain “goods” to repair, at the consumer’s request, defects in those “goods”, unless repair is deemed “impossible.” The proposed Directive applies to “goods” that incorporate or are connected to digital content or a digital service in such a way that the absence of the content or service would prevent the goods from performing their functions.
United Kingdom (UK)
The UK's Right to Repair regulations consist of eco design and labeling requirements for electrical appliances. It also requires that spare parts be available for at least 7 to 10 years after the last unit of a model has been placed on the market. The product types covered by the regulations are:
- Dishwashers
- Washing machines and washer-dryers
- Refrigeration appliances
- Televisions and other electronic displays
The rules exclude laptops, tablets and smartphones. However, further products may be added in the future; the EU has shown support for extending the rules to consumer electronics and the UK may well follow suit in the efforts to reduce e-waste.
It is the merchant’s responsibility to ensure that electric appliance products they sell to the UK comply with the UK’s “Right to Repair” regulation. Please refer to The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 ("Right to Repair UK") for more information.
Note: Effective April 29, 2024, the UK Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT) will enforce three new security protections for “connected” technology. Please read more about these protections in the article, “United Kingdom Product Cyber Security Protections.”
European Union
The EU's energy policies crack down on manufacturer practices that may shorten a product's lifespan.
The EU requires that certain electrical appliance products sold in the EU (e.g., washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, televisions, hair dryers, etc.) be repairable for 7-10 years.
The law requires merchants/manufacturers to make the majority of the spare parts and repair manuals available to professional repairers only, with spare parts provided within 15 working days.
Also, manufacturers retain exclusive rights to repair within the first two years of the product’s life span.
These policies are all part of a wider effort to tackle "e-waste" and to achieve climate-neutrality in the EU by 2050.
Key Points
- "Right to Repair" rules apply to various household products such as dishwashers, washing machines, refrigerators, electronic displays (e.g., televisions, monitors), and light sources (e.g., household lamps).
- Proposals include obligations on manufacturers to make available: (a) spare parts for at least 7-10 years (for certain products); (b) repair and maintenance information for professional repairers.
- Environmental protection and waste reduction are key drivers for the legislation, as opposed to consumer rights or competition issues among repairers.
- Manufacturers and importers must comply with the requirements in order to keep marketing such products in the EU and UK.
Additional Information
UK Links:
- The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021
- Right to Repair Regulations
EU Links:
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