Can the European Ecodesign Framework Mitigate the Systemic Unrepairability of Electronics? Insights from Repair Businesses

The European Ecodesign Regulatory Framework has evolved from a primary focus on energy efficiency to a broader resource-efficiency and circular economy objectives, with product repairability emerging as a central regulatory priority. While recent Ecodesign measures increasingly incorporate repair-related requirements, there is limited empirical evidence on whether these provisions effectively address the practical barriers faced by actors engaged in repair activities. Existing research has focused on energy-efficiency outcomes or conceptual approaches to integrating circular economy principles into product design, leaving the real-world effectiveness of repairability requirements insufficiently examined. In particular, the experiences of repairers, refurbishers, spare-parts providers, and other actors within the repair ecosystem remain underrepresented in the literature. Moreover, studies on repair have predominantly examined consumer perspectives, with comparatively little attention paid to supply-side actors. This paper addresses these gaps through an empirical assessment of Ecodesign repairability requirements for white goods and smartphones. Drawing on twenty in-depth semi-structured interviews and four site visits involving repairers, refurbishers, spare-parts suppliers, and standardisation experts, the study systematically compares stakeholder-identified repair barriers with existing regulatory provisions. By doing so, it evaluates the extent to which current requirements address practical repair challenges and identifies areas where regulatory intervention remains insufficient. The study provides novel practice-based evidence on the effectiveness and limitations of Ecodesign repairability requirements following their recent expansion under the Ecodesign Regulatory Framework. The findings show that, although the framework has contributed to improving product repairability, its impact is constrained by low regulatory ambition, uneven compliance, insufficient repair infrastructure, and market incentives that continue to favour product replacement over repairs. High spare-part costs and shortages of skilled repairers remain significant barriers. The paper concludes that stronger regulatory measures, enhanced market surveillance, greater component standardisation, better economic incentives to promote sustainable product design, as well as improved repair training and working conditions for repairers are necessary to strengthen the repair sector and product lifetime extension.