Germany has adopted a new right-to-repair law requiring electronics manufacturers to provide spare parts and affordable repair services for consumers.
The legislation aims to reduce electronic waste and extend the operational lifespan of consumer devices by creating enforceable legal rights for owners to fix their products rather than replacing them.
Approved by the German Bundestag in June 2026, the law implements EU Directive 2024/1799 [1]. The directive required transposition into German law by July 31, 2026 [2]. Under the new rules, manufacturers of specific electronic devices must supply necessary spare parts for up to seven years after a product is placed on the market [3].
The law applies to 16 categories of electronic devices [4]. For these products, manufacturers are obliged to offer repairs either free of charge or at a reasonable price [5].
This regulatory shift targets the trend of planned obsolescence, where devices are designed with short lifespans or are impossible to repair due to proprietary screws or glued-in batteries. By mandating the availability of parts and fair pricing, the government seeks to move toward a circular economy.
The implementation follows a broader European Commission effort to standardize repairability across the bloc. The law ensures that consumers are not forced into buying new hardware when a simple component replacement would suffice [6].
“Manufacturers must supply spare parts for up to seven years after a product is placed on the market.”
This legislation marks a significant shift in consumer rights within the EU, moving from a 'throwaway' culture toward sustainable consumption. By forcing manufacturers to maintain a supply chain of parts for seven years, the law disrupts the business model of forced upgrades and puts pressure on companies to design more durable, modular hardware.
