Right to Repair in Romania: What Sellers Must Do
Right to RepairIf you sell to consumers in Romania, the EU Right to Repair Directive — Directive (EU) 2024/1799 — is set to change how repair works for the goods you offer. The Directive came into force on 30 July 2024, and Member States must transpose it into national law by 31 July 2026, so the Romanian rules take effect around that point. The national detail is still pending, but the framework is clear enough that Romanian sellers can prepare now for a market where repair is easier to access and easier to compare.
What the Right to Repair Directive Does
The Directive strengthens consumers’ ability to have goods repaired, including after the legal guarantee has expired. For products covered by EU reparability rules — such as smartphones and tablets and many household appliances — consumers gain a right to request repair directly from the producer. The aim is to make repair a realistic first choice rather than an afterthought, cutting waste and extending the life of products.
Key Features for Romanian Sellers
The Directive introduces several concrete mechanisms. Even where you are a seller rather than the producer, they shape what your customers will expect and what you must communicate.
- A right to request repair from producers for goods covered by EU reparability rules, even after the guarantee has ended.
- A European Repair Information Form, so consumers can compare repair conditions and prices before committing.
- National online repair platforms to help consumers find repairers, refurbishers and sellers of refurbished goods.
- A twelve-month extension of the legal guarantee where a consumer chooses repair over replacement.
- Restrictions on anti-repair practices that make independent or self-repair harder than it should be.
What Sellers Must Tell Consumers
Information runs through the whole Directive. Sellers are expected to inform consumers about repair and about the reparability of products, so a shopper can weigh repairability when deciding what to buy. In practice this means being ready to point customers towards repair options and reparability details rather than treating repair as an afterthought once the sale is complete.
Transposition Timing in Romania
As a Directive, this does not apply directly; Romania must pass national measures to give it effect. The transposition deadline is 31 July 2026, so the Romanian rules take effect around then. The exact wording, the competent authorities and the shape of the Romanian repair platform remain pending, so treat the national detail as a developing picture rather than a settled checklist.
Language and Local Practice
Consumer-facing information and dealings with Romanian authorities will generally be in Romanian. If your shop operates primarily in another language, plan for Romanian-language wording of your repair and reparability information so that Romanian consumers actually understand it. National specifics remain qualitative while transposition is pending, so treat the detail as a picture rather than a definitive rulebook.
Practical Steps for Online Sellers
- Identify which of your products fall under EU reparability rules, such as smartphones, tablets and many appliances.
- Prepare to inform consumers about repair options and reparability at the point of sale.
- Get familiar with the European Repair Information Form and how you might present it.
- Provide repair information in Romanian for Romanian customers.
- Keep watch as Romania transposes the Directive ahead of the 31 July 2026 deadline.
For the EU-wide picture, see our overview of the Right to Repair Directive and our complete Right to Repair guide. For a country hub, visit our Romania page.
This article is educational, not legal advice.