Joint statement on repair in the EU vehicle law

Types: Briefing, Position
Published: 22 January 2025
Size: 229.40 KB

Early obsolescence is threatening vehicle repair, with dire consequences for consumers, businesses and the environment. Alongside a coalition of European NGOs and industries, we call on the EU Parliament to improve vehicle repair and reuse through the upcoming regulation on vehicle design and end-of-life management. 

The issue at hand: Vehicle repairability is on the decline, as the rise of non-dismantlable design, the unavailability of spare parts, and the increased complexity of electronic components are driving early obsolescence in newer vehicles. 

This has profound social, economic, and environmental implications:  

  • With 88% of Europeans relying on cars, unrepairable vehicles increase repair costs, limit consumers’ right to repair, and force premature replacements. In addition, insurers facing rising repair costs may also lead to higher premiums for consumers.  
  • Anti-repair strategies by non-European manufacturers jeopardise the automotive aftermarket ecosystem, threatening local jobs and businesses in repair and maintenance.  
  •  Vehicles consume vast quantities of raw materials, including critical resources vital to EU strategic autonomy. Improving repairability and reuse, especially for electric vehicle batteries, is crucial to reducing resource use and environmental strain.  

The solution: The new EU regulation on vehicles design and end-of-life management presents an opportunity to address these issues. The statement calls on the European Parliament to:  

  • Promote modular design strategies for vehicles.  
  • Ensure the availability of spare parts and software updates at fair, non-discriminatory prices.  
  • Address anti-repair practices and guarantee access to repair information.  
  • Ensure the repairability of electric vehicle batteries, given their significance in cost, material use, and vehicle functionality. 

Why it matters: Supporting repair in the EU vehicle law is vital to strengthening consumer choice, protecting local jobs and businesses, reducing environmental harm, and supporting European strategic autonomy.