MPs backed changes to the law on digital content, digital services and the sale of goods at first reading. Every lawmaker voted in favor except Vazrazhdane, which abstained.
The changes bring a European Parliament and Council directive from June 13, 2024, into Bulgarian law. It sets common rules to make repairing goods easier. The law covers two situations: while a product is still under warranty, and after the warranty has run out.
The bill's explanatory notes say people often skip repairs now because it's a hassle, they don't know what it will cost, or they can't find someone to fix the item. The directive wants to make repair the normal choice when something breaks. That means fewer goods thrown away, which fits the EU's climate and environment goals under the Green Deal.
For goods still under warranty, the changes make repair the first option, ahead of getting a new item or any other fix — as long as the repair costs less than buying new. Going forward, whether a product can be repaired will count when deciding if it meets the contract. Repair becomes the main way to put things right, instead of a refund or a swap. Sellers will have to explain more clearly whether the warranty can be extended. If a buyer chooses repair over another option, their warranty automatically grows by one more year. The law also encourages buying refurbished goods — items already repaired and checked — as a way for sellers to meet their duty to customers.
For goods whose warranty has already run out, the changes mean people will get information on which firms offer repairs. A new EU form for repair information will let shoppers compare terms and prices across different repair shops more easily. There will also be an EU online platform to connect people who need repairs with firms that do them. Manufacturers will have to repair any goods that EU law requires to be repairable.
During the debate, the only criticism came from Vazrazhdane. MP Boris Aladzhov said his concerns were about goods no longer under warranty. He explained that the directive adds a new section with rules meant to encourage repair, under which a fix must be free or cost a "reasonable price" — covering labor, materials, parts and the usual markup for the sector. He asked who would decide when a repair should be free and when it should be paid.
"Our concerns are twofold — how this 'reasonable price' is worded and defined, and the conditions under which the repair will be carried out," Aladzhov said.
He said Vazrazhdane would abstain from backing the law and would put forward proposals to clear up the disputed wording.