Right to repair to get boost in EU law requiring parts stay on offer

Fixing a broken device can be both a headache and expensive, if spare parts are even available at all, but a new law for EU countries could make it easier for consumers to keep older devices up and running. — Photo: Franziska Gabbert/dpa

BRUSSELS: Europe’s hundreds of millions of tablet and smartphone owners have long struggled with repairs and parts replacement, but that could change if new EU rules approved in June are applied to promote the consumer's right to repair.

The EU executive body says a new law would mean "obligations for producers to make critical spare parts available to repairers within 5-10 working days, and until 7 years after the product model is no longer sold on the EU market."