EU Right to Repair: What Manufacturers Must Implement by 31 July 2026
On 30 July 2024, Directive (EU) 2024/1799 — known as the „Right to Repair Directive" — entered into force. Member States must transpose it into national law by 31 July 2026. For manufacturers, importers and after-sales service providers, this means: obligations regarding repairability, spare parts availability and repair transparency will be harmonised across Europe — and significantly tightened.
Anyone placing electronic devices, household appliances or other repairable products on the European market should begin operational preparations now. We summarise the key rules.
The Key Obligations at a Glance
1. Obligation to repair beyond the legal warranty period
For products covered by EU ecodesign repairability requirements — including washing machines, dishwashers, refrigerators and freezers, televisions, smartphones, tablets and other product categories — manufacturers must offer repair even after the statutory warranty has expired. The obligation applies for a product-specific period defined in the relevant ecodesign acts.
2. Spare parts, tools and repair information on fair terms
Manufacturers must grant independent repairers and end consumers access to spare parts, repair tools and technical information — at reasonable and non-discriminatory prices. Contractual clauses, hardware or software measures that unreasonably impede repairs by independent workshops or end consumers are prohibited.
3. European Repair Information Form
Repair providers must supply a standardised EU-wide form on request. It includes the identity of the repair service, the subject of the repair, the price or basis of calculation, the estimated duration and the availability of a replacement device. The form is binding for 30 days and is intended to make prices and services comparable across Europe.
4. Extension of the warranty after repair
If the consumer opts for a repair instead of a replacement within the warranty period, the statutory warranty for the repaired component is extended by 12 months. The aim is to strengthen the incentive to choose repair over replacement.
5. European online platform for repair matching
Member States will provide national online platforms linked to a European front-end. Consumers will be able to find repair providers, sellers of refurbished products and local repair initiatives. For providers, this creates a new visibility channel — and an additional requirement for clean master data.
Which product categories are affected?
The Directive links to Annex II of the Ecodesign Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 and to existing product-specific acts. Currently included are:
- Household washing machines and washer-dryers
- Household dishwashers
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Electronic displays (televisions, monitors)
- Vacuum cleaners
- Servers and data storage products
- Mobile phones, cordless phones and tablets
- Welding equipment
The list will be expanded through delegated acts under the new Ecodesign Regulation. Planned additions include batteries, textiles and further electronics and furniture categories.
Timeline — what applies when
- 30 July 2024: Entry into force at EU level
- 31 July 2026: Transposition deadline for Member States
- From 31 July 2026: Application of national transposition laws to newly concluded contracts
- Ongoing: Expansion of product categories via delegated acts under the Ecodesign Regulation
What manufacturers and retailers should do now
The implementation period is short. Waiting for the national transposition law will cost valuable months. We recommend the following operational steps:
- Review the product portfolio: Which items fall under the repair obligation? Which spare parts strategies are already in place?
- Secure spare parts and information availability: Align inventories, supply chains, spare parts databases and technical documentation with the new requirements.
- Scale repair processes: Turnaround times, diagnostics, quality assurance, return shipping — the existing returns logic must be extended by a genuine repair path.
- Adjust partner contracts: Spare parts supply to independent workshops, pricing, liability and documentation.
- Prepare customer communication: Repair form, extended warranty after repair, information on the EU platform.
- Build a clean data foundation: The future Digital Product Passport will build on repair and spare parts data — every clean entry pays off twice.
Repair instead of replace — a strategic shift
The Repair Directive is part of a larger package: the Ecodesign Regulation, the ban on „planned obsolescence", strengthened repairability labelling and the Digital Product Passport work together. For manufacturers and retailers, this means a structural shift — away from pure replacement logic and towards a product life-cycle approach in which after-sales, returns management and repair are tightly integrated.
Anyone who has seen repair as a cost item will in future need to demonstrate how repair is organised as service-side value creation — including capacities, turnaround times and customer experience.
Conclusion
The EU Right to Repair Directive is permanently reshaping the after-sales market. Operational structures must be in place by 31 July 2026 — from spare parts supply and repair processes to customer communication. Companies that start now gain not only regulatory certainty but also a position in the growing market for repair-related services.
PST supports manufacturers and importers in setting up and scaling professional returns and repair processes across Europe. Get in touch if you want to approach implementation in a structured way.