Right to repair: it doesn't work.

The right to repair is one of the greatest achievements in favor of consumers and was introduced as early as 2024 (with Directive 1799), giving all states time to implement it by July 2026.

But unfortunately, this law isn't taking off due to a series of issues that should be addressed. Only then will we see an end to the infamous scenario we endure when we call an electrician for a broken appliance, only to be told, "You'd better buy a new one..." It is estimated that the Right to Repair Act could save European consumers €12 billion in new purchases each year.

What does the right to repair include?

The law on the right to repair includes several important innovations. The first applies "to any tangible movable property”, including those incorporating a service or digital content. Second, manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers are required to provide all the necessary repair instructions for any defective items. Third, spare parts must be available. Fourth, if the consumer chooses to repair rather than replace, they will be entitled to an additional year of warranty. The repaired product must be returned within one month of the repair, and consumers can find the nearest repair locations on an online platform. The new right to repair also includes the option of replacing broken parts with non-original spare parts. Manufacturers cannot oppose this consumer decision, just as they cannot prohibit the use of spare parts from other brands or created in 3D.

So far, these are the changes envisaged by the law, but let's instead look at the reasons that make it a de facto unenforced law.

The delays of European states

The first black hole in the law concerns a missed deadline: all European states had to transpose the right to repair into their respective national laws by July 31, 2026. Only Austria, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Lithuania, Ireland, and Slovakia have done so.

Among the countries that have not yet implemented the European law on the right to repair at the national level are Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Sweden, Slovenia and Hungary.

The situation of Italy

Italy is in a mixed position, halfway across the ford. On March 11, 2026, the Italian Parliament approved the European delegation law, which mandates the government to implement the European directive. However, the legislative decrees are still missing, without which the right to repair in Italy remains merely on paper.

Fragmented rules

Not all electrical and electronic appliances are on the same level as regards the right to repair, so much so that Right to repair Europe, the coalition that fought the most for this law, speaks of "a great unfinished business". From June 20, 2025 EU Regulation 2023/1670 on ecodesign of smartphones, mobile phones and slate tablets. It includes, among other things, the availability of spare parts, maximum delivery times, disassembly/repair requirements, and guaranteed software updates for at least five years.

So, for example, for a smartphone placed on the EU market from 20 June 2025 the manufacturer must make certain spare parts available for at least 7 years after the end of the marketing of the model, with specific delivery times.

Printers, however, like desktop computers and some household appliances, are not covered by Regulation 2023/1670. smartphone and tablets, and therefore in the case of these purchases the consumer is not protected by the rules on the right to repair.

The weight of lobbies

Such an uncertain and fragmented regulatory framework has been, from the very beginning, the target of lobbies from the global electrical and electronic equipment industry, which has always considered the right to repair a serious threat to its budgets. During the negotiation of the directive, the European Parliament's position was initially more ambitious. It wanted to make repair more accessible and affordable and limit the hardware/software techniques used to hinder it. The final compromise, however, maintained the scope of the repair obligation for products for which other EU standards already include repairability requirements.

For example, APPLiA, representing the European household appliance industry, expressed support for the final 2024 text, but stressed the importance of subsequent technical legislation and implementation: the process has become so fraught with obstacles, delays, and contradictions that the right to repair has effectively become unenforceable.

The balance sheet that certifies the failure of the law

The Open Repair Alliance has analyzed 208.491 repair attempts recorded by community repair groups in 31 countries. In 2024 report concludes that For 96% of the items brought to repair events, there was no right to repair guaranteed by European legislation..

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