Companies would have to offer repairs for worn-out products for up to 10 years under proposed EU rules

FILE PHOTO: European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, March 1, 2023.REUTERS/Johanna Geron//File Photo

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union wants to give consumers the right to have worn-out products like washing machines and televisions repaired by producers even after the sales guarantee has expired, to cut waste and make goods last longer.

The European Commission proposed rules on Wednesday that would oblige producers to offer repairs for a product for between five and ten years after it was sold - regardless of whether or not the legal guarantee is still valid.