Following the final vote on the new rules promoting the right to repair for consumers, rapporteur René Repasi briefs media on its scope and answer questions. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

Strasbourg

press conference

circular economy (T)

REPASI, René

Press Conference by René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur on Right to Repair

Presenter Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. We are ready to start with a press conference on the right to repair a directive that was adopted by the plenary just recently with a very impressive, score, 584 votes in favor, only three against and 14 abstentions. And I have, Mr. Repasi, Parliament's rapporteur for this file, with me here on the stage. He will walk us through what has been decided today, and then we will open the floor for questions. Thank you.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur No need to, take on the interpretation. I was just not sure what is actually the habit on the language, whether it's your home country or the common language spoken here. It was said it's totally my choice. So I went for Dutch. But, we stick to say we stick to English. So. Thanks a lot for being here for the for the press conference.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur This wasn't quite an amazing result, although I still have to trace who were those three "No" votes and I have to get into a conversation with them. But it also shows that, this initiative from the start, but also as a result that we have delivered, is obviously a convincing one. And that had multiple reasons. We had here a commissioner that was pushing the topic through the commission.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur As you may remember, in the very beginning, we would have had more time in this topic originally, since the Regulatory Scrutiny Board has hold up Commissioner Reynders proposal in the first run, and we still don't know what was actually the reason for, that was an information request filed by Anna Cavazzini and myself, and we haven't received a proper reply to this afterwards.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur In the parliamentary phase, we had shadow rapporteurs from the other political groups that didn't see their job in boiling us down to the smallest common denominator, but to work together to improve the text and Parliament's ambition. We had a council presidency that at some moment of time was courageous enough to go beyond the council mandate. And so we ended up in, with a final result that is more ambitious than the commission proposal, and that therefore will have meaningful impact.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur What I mean by this is, just three, three points. First of all, we have the situation that consumers nowadays have to choose between a new product or a repair if their product is, is faulty within the first, at least 24 months of the minimum guarantee period in order to make it more interesting for consumers to actually opt for repair instead of a new product, consumers now get a additional extension of the minimum guarantee period by at least 12 months, if the product was repaired within this first 24 month. And this extension is not only there on the repair path, but on the entire good.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur Second, we have now a proper legal claim by consumers against producers to repair certain goods. After the expiry of the minimum guarantee period that is limited to certain product categories, but the most important one are covered by such as white goods, vacuum cleaners, cell phones, laptops or batteries.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur Third point, consumers actually will make use of proper use of repair, not by sending their goods into their producers, but by actually going to the independent repair shop around the corner. And here repair must be competitive and must be affordable. And if you talk to repairers, the main problem is that spare part prices at times are extremely overpriced. €900 for a mirror in a car is not explainable by market reality.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur So therefore we introduced a couple of elements that make repair markets more competitive and giving repair shops better possibilities to be active on the markets. So first of all, we have there that if there are spare parts made available by producers from products falling into those product categories, they must have a reasonable price that does not deter repair, and that will lead to a lowering of spare part prices if you see what kind of prices actually requested.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur Second, we have repair barriers in products such as contracts or barriers. Think of losing your commercial guarantee if you let a good being repaired with spare parts not made by the original producer or software barriers. The famous smartphones that partly stop working if you do not use original spare parts or hardware barriers where you have to pay a hot, a high fee in order to get the right tools to open a certain product. And that are barriers that are also costly and are making it problematic because then repair us cannot use 3D printed spare parts, use spare parts, whatever they have in order to replace original spare parts.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur And these elements altogether will make repair more interesting, more competitive, and more affordable. On the top of it, member states are now under an obligation to introduce support measures such as repair vouchers or repair funds, in order to make repair even more affordable. This will make products that are actually working, to to live longer, since it creates clear incentives for consumers to go for repair, to make repair affordable, and therefore bringing us into a switch of the consumers mindset.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur And we have therefore, this very interesting situation of a win win win situation under the Green Deal legislation. This is going to help the environment and the climate. It is giving more rights to consumers and at the same time it is going to have small and medium sized enterprises to get a competitive edge. Thank you.

Presenter Thank you very much. We will now open the floor for questions. Please raise your hand if you have any of those online or in the room. And when given the floor, please state your name and media.

Q&A About the time covered by the right to repair after buying a product.

Q&A About Iphone software applications, if it falls under this legislation.

Q&A About price limit in the independent repair shops.

Q&A About the responsability of plateforms like Amazon on the right to repair.

René REPASI (S&D, DE), rapporteur If there are any follow up questions, then. Myself and my office will be more than willing to take them. Ultimately, I believe, and that is the beauty of this of this right to repair. We are now entering election campaign period and as candidates. But the times also journalists are asked by by citizens, what has Europe ever done for me? And now we have a we don't have to talk about common charges and roaming anymore, but we can talk about the right to repair that is actually extending consumer rights. And gives now a very current example what Europe does to improve the situation of our citizens. Thank you.