An anonymous reader cites a report from Ars Technica. Under the terms of the new political agreement, European right-to-repair regulations will require vendors to hold products for an additional 12 months after repair. The consumer has the option of having the defective product repaired or replaced during the liability period that the seller is obliged to provide. The liability period will be for a minimum of two years before being extended. “If the consumer chooses to have the product repaired, the seller's liability period is extended by 12 months from the time the product is brought into compliance. If a Member State so desires, this period may be extended further. ” says the European Council. said in a statement Friday.
The 12-month extension is part of an interim agreement between the European Parliament and the Council on how to implement the European Commission's Right to Repair Directive, passed in March 2023. Parliament and the Council still need to formally adopt the agreement. It then enters into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. “If adopted, the new regulations will introduce a new 'right to repair' for consumers, within and beyond legal guarantees, allowing consumers to choose not just to replace it with a new one. It makes repairing products easier and more cost-effective,'' the European Commission said on Friday.
The regulations require that spare parts be available at a fair price, and product manufacturers are required to “ensure that they are not subject to contractual, hard, or “Use any hardware or software-related repair barriers.” Repairers,” the commission said. The newly agreed terms state that “manufacturers must make necessary repairs within a reasonable time and at a reasonable price, unless the service is provided free of charge, so that consumers are encouraged to choose repair.” “is required,” the European Council said. The European Commission stated that there will be necessary options for consumers to obtain repairs both before and after the minimum liability period ends. […].