Bitkom welcomes and supports the European Commission's proposal for a directive to promote the repair of goods ("Right to Repair"). The proposal creates a meaningful and appropriate framework at EU level to enable more consumers to access high-quality and safe repairs.
Bitkom e.V. particularly welcomes the Commission's decision to take a market-based approach to repairs outside the legal warranty. As well as the product-specific approach chosen in the draft and the focus on purchases of consumer goods.
In this context, Bitkom supports the greatest possible harmonisation of repair requirements in the EU and proposes minor changes to the EU Commission's proposal:
Possibility to replace defective products with remanufactured products. This not only serves ecological and economic sustainability, but also offers consumers a faster remedy compared to individual repair.
A single platform for repair information per Member State to avoid fragmentation. To ensure consumer safety, only manufacturers (OEMs) offering repair services and repairers meeting the new quality standard should be able to register on the platform.
Establish a clear timeframe for the development of the voluntary European quality standard for repair services and, independently of this, limit repairers to those with the appropriate expertise. The overall focus should be on user safety.
