Right to Repair: An EU workshop checklist

Europe’s right-to-repair rules make a good workshop routine more visible to customers. A repair business does not have to settle every legal question at the counter. It should, however, recognise whether a request concerns a paid repair, the seller’s liability, or a possible manufacturer route.

Directive (EU) 2024/1799 strengthens repair where a defect appears outside the seller’s liability. For specified product groups listed in Annex II, it requires manufacturers to repair where EU repairability requirements apply. Member States apply their transposition measures from 31 July 2026. This is not legal advice: the product, contract, national implementation and your business’s role matter in each case.

Keep three routes separate

A short intake conversation can sort the case without making a promise:

The Directive places the repair obligation on manufacturers. An independent workshop may still be a suitable repair partner, but should state its role plainly. A well-kept job record separates the customer’s request, the technical findings and any later approval of cost.

Make the intake readable later

At intake, collect only what is needed to classify the case: product and model or serial number, reported fault, proof of purchase or prior repair, known previous repairs and a contact method. Put photos or device data in the job only when they are needed for diagnosis or handover.

Then give a clear interim answer: “We will check whether and on which terms we can carry out the repair.” That is more accurate than a blanket warranty statement and avoids turning an initial opinion into a promise.

Quotes should be clear, comparable and modest

The Directive includes a European Repair Information Form. Where a repairer supplies a complete form, it is valid for at least 30 days under the Directive; if the consumer accepts its conditions, the repairer must perform the repair on those conditions. For a small team, the operational lesson is simple: say what will be done, the price or pricing method, expected duration, parts assumptions and validity period.

An internal template reduces omissions. Record what diagnosis has not yet established too: hidden damage, unavailable parts or a required safety check. That gives the customer a fair basis to choose repair, replacement or cancellation.

Work across countries without inventing local rules

Germany, France, Spain, Czechia, Croatia and Slovenia are EU Member States, so the Directive matters there through national law. Use the customer’s market language and verify the current national implementation before adopting standard wording. The Directive does not apply directly in Türkiye. For cross-border work, make it clear where the sale occurred, which law governs and who contracts for the repair.

Across every market, avoid saying “warranty” when it is still unclear whether the case is a paid repair, a statutory seller-liability matter or a manufacturer programme.

Right-to-repair questions

Must an independent workshop accept every request for free?

No. The Directive does not automatically make every independent workshop a free service provider. Confirm the order, responsibility and price before work begins.

Which products are covered?

The obligation is tied to EU repairability requirements for Annex II product groups, including certain household appliances, displays, mobile phones, tablets and other categories. Check the product and current legal position each time.

Is a verbal estimate enough?

A conversation can explain the next step. A written summary stored with the job is easier for both sides to follow when price, scope and timing matter.

A prepared repair process is not a substitute for legal review. It does make sure that the right question reaches the right party, while the workshop offers its own work clearly and reliably.