It is usually discussed as a consumer and repair-shop issue. For the waste and recycling sector, however, it marks a shift in how much electronic equipment reaches end of life, when, and in what condition.

Key obligations at a glance

• Repair beyond the legal guarantee: manufacturers of products such as washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers, refrigeration appliances, vacuum cleaners, displays, servers, smartphones, tablets and LMT batteries (e.g. for e-bikes) must offer repair after the guarantee expires.
• 12 extra months of seller liability when a consumer chooses repair over replacement under the legal guarantee.
• Access to spare parts and repair information at a reasonable price, for the periods set by ecodesign rules (7 to 10 years for many product groups).
• A ban on obstructing repair, including blocking independent spare parts or refusing repair because a device was previously serviced by an independent repairer.
• A European Repair Information Form and a European online platform for repair to help consumers find repairers.

Transposition is uneven across the EU. In Poland, for example, the implementing law was still under consultation in August 2026, with proposed fines of up to PLN 40,000 for repeat violations.

Longer lifetimes, different waste streams

Extending product lifetimes does not make e-waste disappear. It changes its profile:

• Timing shifts: devices reach collection later, and many pass through repair or refurbishment first.
• Components gain value: harvesting parts from devices beyond repair becomes part of the business model.
• Reuse needs triage: collected equipment has to be sorted into repairable and recyclable streams.
• Collection methods matter: equipment collected without damage keeps its value for reuse.

Towards full product lifecycle responsibility

The right to repair is one piece of a wider framework. Together with extended producer responsibility, the EU Battery Regulation and the Critical Raw Materials Act, it is building a single system in which producers are accountable for a product from market placement to end of life. For waste management companies, that means new compliance requirements and a new economics of equipment and material flows.

Wastes Service Group provides WEEE and battery collection and recycling, helping producers and distributors meet their obligations in Poland and across the EU. Get in touch to prepare your business for the changes.

FAQ

When does the EU right to repair apply?

Directive (EU) 2024/1799 entered into force on 30 July 2024. Member states had to transpose it by 31 July 2026.

Which products are covered?

Products including washing machines, dishwashers, tumble dryers, refrigeration appliances, vacuum cleaners, displays, servers, smartphones, tablets and LMT batteries.

Will the right to repair reduce e-waste?

Over time it may slow growth in e-waste volumes, but its main effect will be on the composition and timing of equipment entering collection and recycling.