EU lawmakers back rules to increase consumer goods repair rights

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags fly outside the European Commission in Brussels, Belgium November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Yves Herman/File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union lawmakers agreed on Tuesday measures to increase repair of goods such as washing machines, televisions and smartphones and reduce waste from consumers acquiring new products instead.

The European Commission proposed a new law in March obliging sellers to repair a product for free within the two-year legal guarantee period, if the cost is no more than a replacement, and to provide repairs for products for between five and 10 years after sale.