French repair fund not enough
August 5, 2021
The French based Halt Obsolescence Programme (HOP) has expressed their concerns that the monetary amount envisaged to be allocated by the EEE sector to lower the cost of repairing equipment is less than the sum required.
France plans to introduce the repair fund for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) like printers and computers etc., on the 1 January 2022 via the countries Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) channels. The fund will provide a reduction in the repair bills paid by consumers.
In a study recently made public, ADEME estimates that it is necessary to endow the fund with €202 million ($239 million) in 2022 to achieve the objective, and that this sum should be increased to €233 million ($276 million) in 2027. However, in view of the financial envelope envisaged at this stage in the draft specifications, reduced by half compared to ADEME’s estimates, HOP is very concerned about the future of the fund and the weight of industrial lobbying.
For HOP, if the necessary amounts are not reached, this will have the consequences. Possibly, considerably reducing the number of products eligible for the scheme (with the risk of concentrating on the products which are already the most repaired) or considerably reduce the amount of reduction granted to the consumer (for example, if the fund reduces the repair bill of a smartphone by only €7 ($8.30)). HOP believes this case misses the desired effect
Ultimately, HOP believes that there is a risk to end up with a counterproductive effect, with consumers, but also repairers, who turn away from the system.
HOP urges: “The repair fund being an innovation, a pioneer in the world, France must honour its legislative commitments and set a strong example in favour of the repair of everyday objects. HOP therefore calls on the public authorities to grant the means of the reparation fund with its ambitions and to endow it with a minimum of €233 million ($276 million).”
Categories : World Focus
Tags : French Repair Fund HOP Right to Repair
