The Directive sits alongside other initiatives, including the Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition Directive, that are aimed at facilitating more durable, repairable products and greater transparency for consumers. It’s important to remember that although this is EU law, it will still apply to UK businesses selling into the EU.

Key features of the Directive

A new obligation to repair

Manufacturers of certain products, such as smartphones, fridges or other items listed in Annex II to the Directive, must repair these goods within a reasonable time and for a reasonable price. This obligation ties directly to product-specific EU legislation under the Ecodesign framework. In practice, it means:

• Manufacturers cannot rely on contractual terms, hardware or software limitations that unnecessarily obstruct repair.
• Spare parts must be made available at reasonable prices.
• Clear information on repair services must be easily accessible, for example on websites or in manuals.
• Indicative prices for common repairs must be available on a free-access website.

These requirements supplement existing obligations to provide information on spare parts and their pricing.

A new European repair platform

A pan‑EU online platform will launch in 2027, hosted under the “Your Europe” portal. It is intended to make repair services easier for consumers to find. Although the European Commission is responsible for the platform’s technical build, Member States will register and oversee repairers operating within their borders. This could become a useful visibility tool for repairers and manufacturers offering repair services.

Longer legal guarantee when consumers choose a repair

The Directive amends the Sale of Goods Directive so that consumers receive an additional one‑year legal guarantee when they choose repair over replacement under their statutory rights. This is designed to nudge consumers toward repair rather than disposal, and businesses should expect this to influence consumer behaviour.

National repair incentives

Member States must adopt at least one measure that promotes repair. Options include public information campaigns, repair vouchers or financial incentives and repair skills training. Each Member State can choose its own approach, so there will be variation across the EU.

The European Repair Information Form

Repairers can offer customers a standardised European Repair Information Form setting out the key terms and conditions of a proposed repair. If used, the terms provided must remain valid for 30 days. This aims to make repair quotes more transparent and comparable.

What does this mean for UK businesses?

Although the UK is no longer an EU Member State, UK manufacturers and traders selling into the EU market must comply. If a manufacturer is based outside the EU, responsibility for the repair obligation can fall to an authorised EU representative, the EU importer or failing that, the seller.

Practical steps

Manufacturers should:

• Assess whether products are realistically repairable, and whether their advertising or labelling has created expectations around repairability.
• Monitor developments in repairability requirements for their product categories.
• Review whether existing hardware, software or contractual terms could be seen as obstructing repair and if any restrictions are objectively justifiable.
• Consider how they will communicate consumers’ repair rights.

Traders selling consumer goods should:

• Update internal processes and consumer-facing documentation to reflect the one‑year guarantee extension following repair.
• Decide whether refurbished replacements will be offered instead of new ones, and how consumer consent will be documented.

Repairers (including manufacturers offering repairs) should:

• Decide whether to use the new European Repair Information Form.
• Consider whether to register on national or EU repair platforms to increase visibility.

Manufacturers subject to repairability requirements should:

• Decide who will perform repairs (EU representative, importer, distributor).
• Review the logistics needed to meet “reasonable time” and “reasonable price” standards.
• Plan how spare parts and tools will be supplied and priced.
• Check whether any commercial practices might mislead consumers about the effect of non‑manufacturer repairs.