The current status quo: products that are made to break and are not easily repairable. Now, it’s difficult for consumers to do anything other than trading their broken goods for brand new ones: repair processes are costly and complex, and the artificially low prices of new products make them the more financially attractive option. This produces mountains of waste: electronic waste (e-waste), for example, is the EU’s fastest-growing waste stream—and less than 40% of it is currently recycled. On a global scale, emissions from e-waste grew by more than 50% between 2014 and 2020—a figure expected to swell to new heights without targeted intervention.

The EU, however, is tackling this, with considerable progress over the last decade. Due to active lobbying efforts from advocacy groups and EU Member States themselves, Right to Repair legislation is emerging: the current Proposal for a directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods, for example, as well as amendments to other regulations and directives that prioritise repair as a remedy for non-conforming products, so long as it’s more affordable than product replacement. The Proposal aims to facilitate this by Ensuring consumers are up-to-date on producers’ repair obligations, setting up online repair platforms for nations to matchmake consumers with retailers and repair services, and determining a European-wide quality standard for repairs. 

It’s expected that repair will become increasingly easy and attractive for consumers, resulting in cost savings of around €176.5 billion over 15 years—or around €25 per person per year. Social gains are also expected for EU repair businesses: sales for the sector will largely apply to small- and medium-sized enterprises and social enterprises, generating quality jobs across the region. Environmental impacts are also expected to be significant, with the Proposal expected to save 18.4 million tonnes of CO2 over 15 years—equivalent to the emissions generated by a year’s worth of energy use for 2.1 million homes. While the Proposal has yet to be approved, its impact could be favourable—despite concerns relating to software barriers, the scope of the legal guarantee and the affordability of spare parts, considerations currently not addressed in the directive’s text.

Individual Member States are already taking this a step further, rolling out a range of policy tools to make repair the new normal: Sweden, for example, has cut VAT rates for repair, while Austria, Germany and France now offer repair bonuses—partial reimbursement for consumers that take this route. In Graz, Austria, both commercial and community repair initiatives are supported, with Repair Cafés eligible for yearly funding, while repair bonus funding in Upper Austria saved around 260 tonnes of e-waste between September and December 2019 alone. France has also rolled out a repairability index for five categories of electronic devices, informing consumers on their options prior to purchase. A mix of both hard regulatory tools—such as those targeting manufacturers—and softer instruments that tackle cultural barriers and shift consumer attitudes is proving remarkably effective: a range of policies are needed to promote repair as the way forward.

Photo by Theme Photos on Unsplash