Overview
- Thuringia says its proposal to expand repair incentives nationwide gained a clear majority in the Bundesrat’s environment committee, signaling stronger odds for passage.
- The initiative seeks federal tools that cut repair costs, including a consumer repair bonus, a lower VAT rate on repair services, and support for independent shops and Repair-Cafés.
- The move is framed as a companion to the EU’s new right-to-repair rules, which must enter German law by mid-2026, and aligns with a Justice Ministry draft that would require makers to fix certain devices for years.
- Thuringia halted its own bonus this year for budget reasons after funding thousands of fixes since 2021, paying up to €100 per person for repairs to items like phones, washers, fridges, and ovens.
- Industry practices could blunt the impact unless addressed, as experts cite high spare-part prices and software locks that trigger error messages when non-authorized parts are used.