{"id":69081,"date":"2026-11-04T11:44:00","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T10:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/?p=69081"},"modified":"2026-11-04T11:44:18","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T10:44:18","slug":"right-to-repair-eu-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecobnb.com\/blog\/2026\/11\/right-to-repair-eu-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"Beyond Throwaway Culture: The EU\u2019s New Right to Repair Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How often have we given up on repairing a household appliance<\/strong> or an electronic device<\/strong> because the repair was too expensive, spare parts were unavailable, or we couldn’t find a technician?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European Union<\/strong> wants to change this. Under the new Right to Repair<\/strong> rules, repairing products is set to become easier and more affordable, helping extend their lifespan and reduce waste<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Italy has also transposed the new rules into national law through Legislative Decree No. 176 of 25 September 2026, which entered into force on 22 October 2026. Let’s take a look at what this means for consumers, what manufacturers are required to do, and why repairing rather than replacing products is an important choice for the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond Throwaway Culture: What the EU’s New Right to Repair Rules Mean<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

31 July 2026 was the deadline for EU Member States to transpose Directive (EU) 2024\/1799, known as the Right to Repair Directive<\/strong>, into national law. Italy has completed this process with Legislative Decree No. 176 of 2026, introducing new provisions into its Consumer Code.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why the EU Wants to Make Repairing Easier<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Repair
Photo: Canva Pro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The aim of EU Directive 2024\/1799<\/strong> is to make repairing products easier and more affordable than replacing them. The legislation seeks to reduce waste, extend the useful life of products and encourage a more circular approach to consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the issues it addresses is planned obsolescence<\/strong>: the practice of designing or marketing products with an intentionally limited lifespan, or making them particularly difficult or expensive to repair. As a result, consumers may feel compelled to buy new products even when the ones they already own could still be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Repairing Is Better for the Environment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Frequently replacing household appliances, smartphones, and other electronic devices leads to greater consumption of raw materials, energy, and natural resources<\/strong>. It also generates growing amounts of waste, including electronic waste<\/strong><\/a>, which requires specific collection and treatment processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repairing an item and continuing to use it helps extend its lifespan, reducing the need to manufacture new products and cutting down on waste<\/strong>. This is one of the fundamental principles of the circular economy<\/a><\/strong>: making better use of what we already own, recovering resources and reducing the amount of materials that end up as waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right to Repair: What Changes for Consumers and Businesses?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Product
Photo: Canva Pro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

One of the main changes is the obligation for manufacturers to repair certain products at the consumer’s request<\/strong>, including when a fault occurs after the seller’s legal liability period has expired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repairs must be carried out free of charge<\/strong> or at a reasonable price<\/strong> and within a reasonable time. Manufacturers can also outsource repair work to independent service providers rather than handling every repair themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manufacturers must also provide easily accessible information<\/strong> about their repair services and ensure the availability of spare parts and technical information for the periods established by the relevant EU regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While a product is being repaired, the manufacturer may also offer the consumer a replacement, which can be a refurbished product, to be returned once the repair is complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Happens When a Product Cannot Be Repaired?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Not every product can be repaired. The legislation recognises this and does not require manufacturers to carry out repairs when they are technically impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In such cases, the manufacturer may offer the consumer a refurbished product<\/strong> as an alternative. Manufacturers can also outsource repairs to third parties when the work is possible but is not carried out directly by their own technicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Products Are Covered by the Right to Repair?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\"Household
Photo: Canva Pro<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Right to Repair applies to specific categories of products for which EU legislation already establishes repairability requirements. It does not introduce a general obligation to repair every consumer product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Products covered include, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n