As of today, people who want to have an electronic device repaired can go to a national register. The National Repairers Register lists recognized repair companies for consumer electronics.
That should make it easier to find a company that can repair broken things. This concerns TVs and screens, and white goods such as dishwashers, refrigerators and washing machines.
It is a first version of the register, with about 80 companies. This autumn there should be a more extensive version with all authorized repairers and the professional competence of the employees. You can also see for which manufacturers companies are allowed to carry out repairs.
The register is a collaboration of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and Technology Netherlands, the organization of entrepreneurs in the installation sector and technical retail. More than 6300 companies are affiliated to it.
Right to repair
The register was created at the initiative of the European Union, which wants broken items to be thrown away less quickly. For example, there is the European Ecodesign directive with agreements about the reusability of products and the possibility of repair.
Last month, the European Commission proposed to extend the right to repair for consumers, the so-called right to repair. This should make repairs of goods easier and cheaper, both within and outside the statutory warranty period. Across the European Union, 35 million tons of discarded products are thrown away every year.
According to Techniek Nederland, having things repaired has become easier because spare parts are more readily available than before. Chairman Doekle Terpstra calls the National Repairers Register “a big step” towards a circular economy.
“If electronic equipment is repaired and lasts longer, we save a lot of energy and use less scarce raw materials.” Terpstra points out that it can also contribute to reducing the mountain of waste and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Brussels: repairing broken things should become easier
