Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Robert Habeck commented: “The negotiations have been a great success and another step towards making circular economy a reality in keeping with the coalition agreement. The new regulations will make it easier to repair and refurbish smartphones and tablets, extending their service lives. At the same time, we have struck a good balance between the interests of industry and of climate action with the future product requirements.”

Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke remarked: “Mass-produced products such as smartphones and tablets will have to be easier to repair in the future, making them more durable. This is a big step towards the right to repair. No one should have to throw away a mobile phone anymore because a defective battery cannot be removed. The new regulations will help save resources and lay the foundation for the sustainable use of electrical appliances in the European Union. This is another step away from a disposable society.”

The new ecodesign requirements, which cover smartphones, tablets, mobile phones, cordless phones and other consumer electronics, stipulate for the first time that it must be possible to repair these products and that replacement parts must be available. For example, manufacturers must provide repair information and certain replacement parts, such as displays and batteries, for years. In addition, manufacturers must design products to ensure that components can be replaced more easily in future. This will facilitate the repair and reuse of used devices and increase recycling and resource efficiency. In addition, manufacturers will be expected to provide software updates for xx years. However, these software updates may not cause hardware problems. Furthermore, the new regulation will strengthen the rights of companies that professionally refurbish smartphones and tablets.

According to the European Commission, the new Ecodesign Regulation, together with the future Energy Label Regulation, will reduce the primary energy consumed by the products in question by 13.9 TWh across the EU in 2030. The new requirements will come into force next year after they are adopted by the European Commission and will apply to all devices sold in the EU after a transition period of months.

Weitere Informationen

FAQ right to repair (in German)