Europe’s right to repair law to change luminaire design

The backing of enhanced ‘right to repair’ legislation by the European Parliament could result in significant changes to the design of luminaires for the consumer market.

European lawmakers have adopted a proposal on common rules promoting the repair of goods to support the objectives of the European Green Deal by reducing waste.

The bill will make it easier and more cost-effective for consumers to repair as opposed to replace goods. Additionally, more demand should translate into a boost to the repair sector while incentivising producers and sellers to develop more sustainable business models.

The Parliament’s measures include a one-year guarantee on repaired goods, the option for replacement products during extended repairs, and the power for market authorities to regulate spare parts prices, such as lamps and drivers.

Observers say the laws will ensure that more products are repaired within the legal guarantee, and that consumers have easier and cheaper options to repair products that are technically repairable when the legal guarantee has expired or when the good is not functional anymore as a result of wear and tear.

Within the legal guarantee, sellers will be required to offer repair except when it is more expensive than replacement.

Beyond the legal guarantee, a new set of rights and tools will be available to consumers to make repair an easy and accessible option:

– A right for consumers to claim repair to producers, for products that are technically repairable under EU law, like light fittings. This will ensure that consumers always have someone to turn to when they opt to repair their products, as well as encourage producers to develop more sustainable business models.

– A producers’ obligation to inform consumers about the products that they are obliged to repair themselves.

– An online matchmaking repair platform to connect consumers with repairers and sellers of refurbished goods in their area. The platform will enable searches by location and quality standards, helping consumers find offers, and boosting visibility for repairers.

– A European Repair Information Form which consumers will be able to request from any repairer, bringing transparency to repair conditions and price, and make it easier for consumers to compare repair offers.

– A European quality standard for repair services will be developed to help consumers identify repairers who commit to a higher quality. This ‘easy repair’ standard will be open to all repairers across the EU willing to commit to minimum quality standards, for example based on duration, or availability of products.

• Diary date: Circular Lighting Live 2024, Recolight’s flagship conference and exhibition, takes place on Wednesday 9 October 2024 at the Royal College of Physicians in London. Free to specifiers, Circular Lighting Live 2024 will feature leading experts, specifiers and policy makers who will share their insights into forthcoming standards and legislation, emerging technologies and new business models. More info: www.circularlighting.live