Directive 2024/1799 - Common rules promoting the repair of goods - Main contents

Official Journal

of the European Union

EN

L series

2024/1799

10.7.2024

Directive (EU) 2019/771 of the European Parliament and of the Council (4) pursues the objective of improving the functioning of the internal market, while achieving a high level of consumer protection as well as increased circularity within the economy. In the context of the green transition, this Directive pursues the objective of improving the functioning of the internal market, while promoting more sustainable consumption, and thereby complements the objective pursued by Directive (EU) 2019/771.

In order to achieve those objectives, and in particular to facilitate cross-border provision of services and competition among repairers of goods purchased by consumers in the internal market, it is necessary to lay down uniform rules promoting the repair of goods purchased by consumers within and beyond the liability of the seller established by Directive (EU) 2019/771. Member States have already introduced or are considering the introduction of rules promoting repair and reuse of goods purchased by consumers outside the existing liability of the seller established by Directive (EU) 2019/771. Differing mandatory national rules in this area constitute actual or potential obstacles to the functioning of the internal market, adversely affecting cross-border transactions of economic operators acting on that market. Those operators could have to adapt their services to comply with the different mandatory national rules and be faced with additional transaction costs for obtaining the necessary legal advice on the requirements of the law of the Member State of the consumer’s habitual residence, which apply pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 593/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council (5), and to adapt their contracts for the provision of repair services accordingly. This will affect, in particular, small and medium-sized enterprises, which make up most of the repair sector. Legal fragmentation could also negatively affect consumer confidence in cross-border repair due to uncertainties regarding factors which are important for the decision to repair goods.

In order to reduce premature disposal of viable goods purchased by consumers and to encourage consumers to use their goods longer, it is necessary to strengthen the provisions related to the repair of goods, allowing consumers to seek affordable repair from the repair service provider of their choice. Repair should result in sustainable consumption, since it is likely to generate less waste caused by discarded goods, less demand for resources, including energy, caused by the process of manufacturing and sale of new goods replacing defective goods, as well as less greenhouse gas emissions. This Directive promotes sustainable consumption with a view to achieving benefits for the environment, by promoting a life cycle of goods which includes re-use, repair and refurbishment, while also producing benefits for consumers by avoiding costs associated with new purchases in the short...