BRUSSELS, Nov 21 (Reuters) – European Union lawmakers agreed on Tuesday measures to increase repair of goods such as washing machines, televisions and smartphones and reduce waste from consumers acquiring new products instead.
The European Commission proposed a new law in March obliging sellers to repair a product for free within the two-year legal guarantee period, if the cost is no more than a replacement, and to provide repairs for products for between five and 10 years after sale.
The rules also apply to fridges, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners, data storage products and welding equipment which are already required to be repairable under existing EU law.
The European Parliament, which will have to agree on a final text with EU governments, voted by 590 to 15 in favour of a text adding an extra year to the legal guarantee and encourage EU countries to provide incentives for repairs.
