The warranty period for gadgets will be increased five times

European officials have proposed significantly increasing repair times for consumer electronics. This is reported by the publication ArsTechnica.

The European Commission made a corresponding proposal on gadgets on Wednesday, March 22. Long-term requirements obliging electronics manufacturers to repair will be passed if the bill is approved by the European Parliament and Council. According to the document, the warranty period for equipment sold in Europe was proposed to be increased five times – from 2 to 10 years.

According to officials, the timing of warranty repairs will be determined depending on the type of product. So, sellers of smartphones will have to provide service for 5 years after the purchase of the device, TVs – 7 years, washing machines – 10 years.

The European Commission said that the increase in warranty service will save consumers from additional expenses and reduce the amount of household waste. Experts estimate that the new law will reduce waste by 3 million tons over 15 years. Consumers, in turn, will save about 15.6 billion euros.

In October 2022, European officials set a deadline for the transition of all gadgets to the universal USB-C connector. By law, appliance manufacturers will be required to phase out proprietary connectors in favor of a universal port no later than November 2024.