Right to Repair Rules due to be introduced in Great Britain this summer
The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy has announced that they intend to implement the new eco-design requirements in GB by the summer of 2021, which will lead to tighter rules for how much energy white goods and other electrical equipment. Companies that sell consumer electronics such as refrigerators, washers, hairdryers, or TVs in the UK - will need to ensure those goods can be repaired for up to 10 years.
The eco-design requirements include higher minimum energy performance standards as well as new material efficiency and information requirements, measures regarding the availability of spare parts and maintenance information to facilitate repairs, including:
update eco-design requirements for electric motors, household washing machines/washer-dryers, household dishwashers, household refrigeration and electronic displays. The new eco-design requirements include measures to increase minimum energy performance standards and material efficiency,
introduce eco-design requirements for welding equipment and commercial refrigeration for the first time, and
introduce energy labelling requirements for commercial refrigeration for the first time.
The Draft Regulations that were consulted upon are still subject to change, although BEIS states that they are expected to be compatible with the technical specifications set out in the equivalent EU requirements.
The Draft Regulations will be laid before Parliament, which is proposed to take place as soon as practicable and in the spring of 2021 with the aim of bringing the new measures into force this summer.
BEIS is preparing a statutory instrument to incorporate these amendments into retained EU regulations, which they intend to consult stakeholders on in the future.