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The European Union will not allow the sale of poor-quality technical devices, and the aim is that the devices do not break down immediately after the warranty expires, but last longer, announced Biljana Borzan, vice-president of the European Socialists and the representative of loudest consumers in the European Parliament. The project, which includes changes in the white goods market not only related to consumer protection but also to the environment, is one of the priorities in this year’s new term. According to Borzan, the European Commission will introduce a series of laws next year that will try to reduce the disposal of products that still work or will remake them, in order to reduce the amount of electronic waste.
– It was announced that the European Commission will introduce a law next year, which requires products to be marked on the products, signifying the expected useful life, as well as the availability and price of spare parts and repair costs. That way, the consumer would know exactly what they are buying, Borzan explained.
He stressed that during work on this project, the industry constantly persuaded people to buy new devices because they wanted new devices, but research has shown that up to 77 percent of people would rather repair an old device, but give up. because it is expensive. Borzan assures that citizens call her and assure that they are convinced that some devices were manufactured with a defect and that they will surely break down after the expected deadline.
– These claims are supported by the first results of the investigation organized on that occasion, which showed that the devices break down more in the second or third year, until the warranty usually lasts – he says. Borzan points out that sustainable consumption can have a major impact on economic recovery.
– The elimination of products creates fewer jobs and the conversion and reuse much more. We also want to strengthen the second-hand market and suggest that usage meters such as car odometers be placed in certain categories of devices. In this way, those who buy, for example, a used washing machine will not buy a cat in a bag, but will know exactly what to expect from this product – explains Borzan, adding that the most important thing is that the European Parliament has taken the initiative and how . At the moment the main guidelines of the announced laws are already being agreed. Borzan adds that it is time to give consumers the best quality for the money they spend, although the industrial lobby has a great influence. The current situation, he adds, is unsustainable, damaging to the environment and the citizens’ family budgets. As “Consumer” has already written, the European Union investigation of the durability of devices showed that most citizens complain about the lifespan of mobile phones, washing machines, televisions and vacuum cleaners. It has been established that the devices break down for the first time immediately after the warranty expires. Most devices break down in the second or third year of use, and warranties in the EU mainly last two years. Other research has shown that washing machines are scheduled for two to two thousand five hundred washes, televisions for 20,000 hours, all with the aim of forcing consumers to buy newer models. During this investigation, the example of France was mentioned several times, which prohibited the so-called integrated deterioration of technical devices. France has adopted a law that prohibits programmed deterioration, introducing “repairability” labels on devices, as well as on usage meters, so that the consumer knows what to expect at all times. It should be remembered that the European Commission adopted the Directive on ecodesign at the beginning of October last year, for ten categories of household appliances. To protect the environment, these regulations will require greater energy efficiency, longer service life, and manufacturers’ warranty periods.
Ecology: part of the problem
It is estimated that the new eco-designed products would save almost 730 million cubic meters of water by 2030 and 46 million tons of greenhouse gases. However, saving and protecting the environment are only part of the problem. Others refer to the costs that consumers have because they are often forced to buy devices. New technologies mean more electronics, but consumer associations are also suspicious of manufacturers’ bad business practices and trying to show that devices break down as planned just as their warranty expires.
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