On Thursday, the Bundestag passed a legislative package that is intended to fundamentally change the rules of the game for products on the German market. The MPs approved the government draft to modernize the national implementation of European rules on eco-design and energy consumption labeling with changes from the Economic Affairs Committee. The coalition factions of the CDU/CSU and SPD voted in favor of the project. The opposition was united against it.
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The aim of the initiative is to adapt German law to the stricter European requirements. In the future, products must not only become more efficient, but also more durable, easier to repair and more reusable. Consumers should benefit from this: If an energy label promises a certain efficiency class in stores, this information must be reliable. Household costs should be reduced through long-lasting devices and lower consumption. According to Parliament, the amendment also makes a contribution to the circular economy.
Stricter controls against unfair competition
To ensure that the regulations do not turn into paper tigers, the law strengthens the market surveillance of the federal states. The MPs have updated the sanction options for violations and adapted them to standards such as the Market Surveillance Act. If manufacturers or retailers cheat or provide false information, the authorities will be able to take more effective action in the future. This is intended to create fair starting conditions and protect German quality manufacturers, who already focus on longevity, from unfair competition and inferior cheap imports.
The voluntary repair movement has particular reason to be happy. With the new version, Parliament is introducing the legal category of “non-commercial repairer”. This means that for the first time it is clearly regulated: Repair cafés and voluntary initiatives are also considered technically competent and have a legally secure right to spare parts and repair instructions from the manufacturer.
The Round Table Repair welcomes this milestone: Commercial repairs are often economically unprofitable, especially for small electrical appliances from kettles to toasters. The legislature has kept the hurdles for proof – such as club membership or a self-declaration of security – low.
Waiting list for independent workshops
The round table is less happy with the independent commercial companies that operate outside of the craft regulations. This involves, for example, independent smartphone repair shops. They are not explicitly mentioned in the legal text, which is why their recognition remains at the discretion of the manufacturers. In a resolution, the Bundestag calls on the federal government to examine the low-bureaucratic integration of these companies and to consider alternative registration solutions. However, an immediate solution in the form of a central register was postponed.
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The debate in the committee revealed rifts. The SPD praised the newly mandated digital product passport as a central tool for creating raw material transparency and ushering in a true circular economy. The AfD, on the other hand, spoke of a “bureaucratic hammer”. The documentation effort and maintaining large spare parts warehouses are a burden, especially for medium-sized businesses. The executive promised to make implementation low in bureaucracy and friendly to medium-sized businesses through intensive practical dialogues.
(NO)
