Right to Repair: European Hardware Leading the Way

The Throwaway Electronics Problem

The average European replaces their smartphone every 2.5 years. That discarded device contains gold, silver, palladium, cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements — materials mined under conditions that range from environmentally destructive to deeply exploitative. Europe generates over 12 million tonnes of electronic waste annually, and despite recycling targets, a significant portion ends up in landfills or is shipped to developing countries where it is processed under hazardous conditions.

The root cause is not consumer carelessness. It is a hardware industry built on planned obsolescence. Batteries are glued in place. Screens are bonded with adhesive that makes replacement a professional-only job. Proprietary screws prevent access to internal components. Software updates are discontinued after two or three years, turning functional hardware into security liabilities. And repair manuals, diagnostic tools, and replacement parts are withheld from independent repair shops and individual users.

The European Union has decided this model is unacceptable. Through a series of landmark regulations, the EU is systematically dismantling the barriers to repair and establishing legal rights that fundamentally change the relationship between consumers and the products they buy.

EU Right-to-Repair Legislation

The Right to Repair Directive (2024)

Adopted in 2024, the EU Right to Repair Directive establishes a legal obligation for manufacturers to repair products even after the commercial guarantee has expired. Consumers have the right to request repair at a reasonable cost, and manufacturers must provide spare parts and repair tools for a defined period after a product is placed on the market.

The directive also tackles the practice of deliberately designing products to be difficult or impossible to repair. Manufacturers cannot use software locks, proprietary fasteners, or other techniques to prevent independent repair. This is a direct challenge to the business model that Apple, Samsung, and other major manufacturers have relied on to funnel consumers toward authorized repair networks or outright replacement.

Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation

The EU’s Ecodesign Regulation extends beyond energy efficiency to encompass repairability, durability, and recyclability. For smartphones and tablets specifically, the regulation requires:

Spare parts availability: Manufacturers must make batteries, displays, charging ports, and other key components available for at least 7 years after the last unit is placed on the market
Battery replaceability: By 2027, batteries in smartphones and tablets must be user-replaceable without specialized tools
Software updates: Manufacturers must provide security updates for at least 5 years
Repairability scoring: A standardized repairability index that allows consumers to compare products before purchase

France’s Repairability Index

France has been ahead of the EU curve with its indice de reparabilite, a mandatory repairability score displayed at the point of sale since 2021. Every smartphone, laptop, television, washing machine, and lawnmower sold in France must carry a score from 0 to 10 based on documentation availability, ease of disassembly, spare part availability, and pricing. This score has already influenced purchasing decisions and pressured manufacturers to improve their products’ repairability.

The French model is now informing the EU-wide repairability scoring system, which will roll out across all member states.

European Hardware Makers Leading by Example

Fairphone

Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands Founded: 2013 Current model: Fairphone 5

Fairphone is the most visible example of what consumer electronics can look like when designed for longevity rather than obsolescence. The Fairphone 5, released in 2023, is designed with modular components that users can replace themselves using a standard Phillips screwdriver. Battery, screen, camera modules, speaker, USB-C port, and earpiece are all individually replaceable, and Fairphone commits to providing spare parts for at least 10 years.

But repairability is only one dimension of Fairphone’s approach. The company has built a supply chain that prioritizes fair labor and responsibly sourced materials:

Fair trade gold used in circuit boards
Recycled aluminum, copper, tin, and rare earth elements in increasing proportions
Living wage programs at manufacturing facilities
E-waste compensation: for every phone sold, Fairphone compensates an equivalent weight of e-waste

The Fairphone 5 runs on a Qualcomm QCM6490 processor with a commitment to 8 years of software updates, far exceeding the industry standard. Fairphone has received iFixit’s highest repairability score of 10 out of 10.

Tradeoffs: Fairphone devices are not flagships in terms of raw performance or camera quality. The company is transparent about this: the priority is longevity, repairability, and ethical production. If you need the latest Snapdragon processor or a triple-camera system, Fairphone is not targeting you. If you want a phone you can keep for 5 to 8 years, it is the best choice on the market.

Shift

Headquarters: Falkenberg, Germany Founded: 2014 Current models: Shiftphone 8, Shift6mq

Shift is a smaller German manufacturer with a similar philosophy to Fairphone but an even more radical approach to modularity. Shift devices are designed so that every component can be replaced by the user, and the company sells individual modules directly through its website. The Shiftphone 8 earned an iFixit repairability score of 9.5 out of 10.

Shift operates on a deposit-return system: customers pay a device deposit of 22 EUR, which is refunded when the device is returned at end of life. This ensures proper recycling and keeps valuable materials out of landfills. The company manufactures with a focus on fair working conditions and has published supply chain audits.

Key differentiators:

Component-level modularity with user-replaceable parts
Deposit-return system for end-of-life recycling
German engineering and design
Commitment to long-term software support
Transparent supply chain with published audits

Framework (US-based, but relevant)

Headquarters: San Francisco, USA Founded: 2019 Current models: Framework Laptop 13, Framework Laptop 16

Framework deserves mention even in a European context because it has done more than any other company to prove that modular, repairable laptops can match the performance and build quality of sealed designs. The Framework Laptop allows users to swap processors, memory, storage, screens, batteries, and I/O ports using a single screwdriver. Expansion cards let you configure your port layout: USB-C, USB-A, HDMI, DisplayPort, microSD, or even an Ethernet jack — choose the combination that fits your workflow.

Framework laptops are available in Europe through direct sales and authorized partners. The company publishes complete repair guides, sells every component individually, and has open-sourced significant portions of its hardware design. While jurisdictionally a US company, Framework’s design philosophy aligns more closely with EU repairability values than with the sealed, glued, and soldered approach of its American competitors.

The 10-Year Spare Parts Mandate

One of the most impactful elements of EU right-to-repair legislation is the mandatory spare parts availability window. Under the combined effect of the Ecodesign Regulation and the Right to Repair Directive, manufacturers must make critical spare parts available for extended periods:

Smartphones and tablets: Batteries, displays, charging ports, back covers, and other key components available for at least 7 years after the last unit is sold
Laptops and computers: Similar requirements with emphasis on batteries, power supplies, SSDs, and keyboards
Household appliances: Up to 10 years for spare parts availability, already in effect for washing machines, dishwashers, and refrigerators

This mandate is transformative because it eliminates the most common manufacturer excuse for non-repair: “parts are no longer available.” When a manufacturer must stock spare parts for 7 to 10 years, the economic incentive shifts toward designing products that are actually repairable rather than treating repair as an afterthought.

Sustainability Scoring and Consumer Awareness

The EU’s push toward standardized sustainability and repairability scoring will fundamentally change how consumers evaluate products. When every smartphone on the shelf carries a visible repairability score — like France’s current system, but EU-wide — manufacturers face market pressure to improve their scores. A phone scoring 3 out of 10 sitting next to a Fairphone scoring 10 out of 10 tells a story that no amount of marketing can counteract.

Additional sustainability metrics under development include:

Carbon footprint labeling for electronics
Recycled content percentage disclosure
Expected product lifetime based on design and update commitments
Energy efficiency ratings refined for actual usage patterns

What You Can Do Today

Even before all EU regulations take full effect, you can make choices that support the right-to-repair movement:

Buy repairable hardware: Choose Fairphone for your next smartphone, Framework for your next laptop. The performance gap is smaller than you think, and you will save money over a 5-year ownership period.
Check repairability scores: France’s index is publicly available and applies to products sold across Europe. Use it as a reference even if you are buying outside France.
Support independent repair shops: Use local repair businesses rather than manufacturer-authorized centers when possible. They keep repair knowledge distributed and prices competitive.
Demand your rights: If a manufacturer refuses to make spare parts available for a recent product, report it to your national consumer protection authority. The new EU regulations give you legal standing.
Keep devices longer: The single most impactful environmental decision is extending the life of the devices you already own. A battery replacement or screen repair costs a fraction of a new device and keeps functional hardware out of the waste stream.

The Bottom Line

The EU is not just tweaking the consumer electronics market. It is fundamentally rewriting the rules to favor longevity over disposability, repair over replacement, and transparency over planned obsolescence. European hardware makers like Fairphone and Shift have proven that repairable, sustainable electronics are viable commercial products, and EU legislation is now forcing the rest of the industry to follow. The throwaway electronics era in Europe is ending, and that is good news for consumers, the environment, and the independent repair economy.