The Ecodesign Regulation aims to make consumer goods more environmentally friendly, starting at the manufacturing stage. The legal requirements aim to make products more durable, easier to repair and more recyclable so that sustainable products become the norm in the EU. For long-term sustainable consumption, the repairability of products, which is accessible to all consumers, is just as important as their durability and longevity. Manufacturers in particular are required to offer sustainable products and enable their repair. The Right to Repair Directive holds them accountable and obliges them to repair products themselves or encourage consumers to have them repaired. Both legislative initiatives are part of the Circular Economy Action Plan, which was presented as part of the Green Deal. BEUC Director General Monique Goyens welcomes the new regulations. She regards the EU Commission and the member states as being called upon to guarantee swift and effective implementation.

More sustainable product design and a ban on the destruction of unsold goods
In March 2022, the EU Commission proposed a revision of the existing Ecodesign Directive in order to extend the scope of the regulations far beyond energy-related products such as washing machines. Many other product groups are now included, with textiles and furniture being prioritised. In addition, horizontal measures are to be introduced that can essentially apply to all products, such as the mandatory provision of software updates and spare parts, as well as instructions for repairs. Another important success for the environment is the  ban on the destruction of new textiles and shoes, which is to apply from 2026 and was also called for by AK. The reduced consumption of resources and energy due to the new rules on more durable design is also a positive aspect.

Consumers will be supported in making sustainable purchasing decisions by being provided with better information on the environmental impact of products. This includes, for example, mandatory information on durability, recyclability or repairability in the form of a repair index. This information and repair instructions should be easily accessible to consumers via a Digital Product Passport. The focus of the Ecodesign Regulation lies on the environmental sustainability of products. From the point of view of AK, social aspects along the entire product supply chain should also be taken into consideration. The product passport would be well suited to providing mandatory information on social sustainability. What is missing in the new regulation is not only a ban on the destruction of electrical appliances but also minimum social standards in the manufacturing process, which the EU parliament had advocated for.

Incentives for cost-effective repairs
The right to repair obliges manufacturers to undertake the repair of certain products. Within the statutory warranty period, consumers can still choose between repair or replacement of the product in case of a defect. If they opt for repair, the warranty is extended by one year. Furthermore, additional incentives should be introduced to encourage consumers to have their goods repaired. For instance, replacement products could be made available during the repair period. Member states are called upon to introduce at least one measure to promote repairs, such as an information campaign or repair vouchers like the Austrian repair bonus, which AK believes is a much stronger incentive than simply providing better information. An online platform should make local repair shops more noticeable and comparable and also draw attention to local repair initiatives.

Further initiatives to protect the environment and consumers
The Directive on Empowering Consumers for the Green Transition (ECGT), which was adopted in February 2024, aims to improve product labelling and ban the use of misleading environmental claims. Consumers are to be better informed about product guarantees in a harmonised format. The ECGT is supplemented by the Green Claims Directive on science-based environmental claims. The latter sets out new criteria to prevent manufacturers from making misleading environmental claims. The aim is to better protect consumers from greenwashing and increase trust in environmental claims and labelling. As part of the EU circular economy action plan, the EU Strategy on Sustainable and Circular Textiles aims to consider the entire life cycle of textile products and to change production and consumption in order to counteract fast fashion and the associated negative environmental and social impacts.

Making sustainable consumption possible for everyone
The 2009 Ecodesign Directive already had positive effects for consumers and the environment, saving consumers in the EU 120 billion euros in energy expenditure in 2021 alone. Further enhancement of product durability and repairability will lead to positive ecological effects. As a result, consumers can actively contribute to resource conservation by receiving more information about the environmental and climate friendliness of products. However, as an AK study shows, information alone is not enough to promote environmentally friendly purchasing behaviour. In AK’s view, further incentives must therefore be provided in product design and repairability in order to steer purchasing behaviour in a sustainable direction in the long term. Furthermore, the path to sustainable consumption must be socially inclusive: durable and repairable products must be accessible to everyone, and ecological improvements must not result in economic disadvantages for consumers.

What happens next?
Both the Ecodesign Regulation and the Right to Repair Directive still need to be formally adopted by the Council before they can enter into force. The Directive on empowering consumers for the green transition was already published in the Official Journal of the EU at the beginning of March 2024. The EU member states must now transpose it into national law within two years. What happens next with the Green Claims Directive and the EU Textile Strategy, in particular with the revision of the Textile Labelling Regulation, will only become clear after the elections.

Further information:
AK EUROPA: Two new Directives within the Green Deal aim to strengthen consumer rights and the circular economy
AK EUROPA Position Paper: Right to Repair
AK EUROPA Position Paper: Circular Economy Package: Making sustainable products the norm
AK EUROPA Position Paper: A new Circular Economy Action Plan: For a cleaner and more competitive Europe
A&W Blog: Zeitenwende: Haltbarkeit und Reparierbarkeit im Fokus der EU-Kreislaufwirtschaft (Turning point: Durability and reparability in the focus of the EU circular economy  (German only)
A&W Blog: Nachhaltiger Konsum, aber bitte alltagstauglich (Sustainable consumption, but suitable for everyday use, please) (German only)