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How long must manufacturers sell spare parts in the EU?
By the ReplacementParts.app editors, The Spool List · Published October 14, 2026
The short answer
Under EU ecodesign rules, manufacturers must keep spare parts for at least 7 years for fridges (10 for door gaskets) and electronic displays, and 10 years for washing machines and dishwashers, delivered within 15 working days. Phones and tablets sold since 20 June 2025 get 7 years of parts, delivered in 5 to 10 working days. Some parts go only to professional repairers.
A broken door seal or shelf on a four-year-old fridge should not mean a new fridge. Since 1 March 2021, EU ecodesign rules have required manufacturers and importers to provide a range of essential spare parts for several large appliances, for a set number of years [2]. This is general information as of 12 October 2026, not legal advice; check the rules where you live.
The minimum periods
| Product | Spare parts available for at least | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Fridges and freezers | 7 years (10 years for door gaskets) | within 15 working days |
| Washing machines and washer-dryers | 10 years | within 15 working days |
| Dishwashers | 10 years (7 years for some parts that may be restricted to professional repairers) | within 15 working days |
| Electronic displays, including TVs | 7 years after the last unit of the model is placed on the market | within 15 working days |
| Smartphones and tablets (from 20 June 2025) | 7 years after the model is no longer sold in the EU | within 5 to 10 working days |
Appliance figures: European Commission [1] and European Consumer Centre Belgium [2]; displays: the GB regulation that mirrors the EU text [3]; phones and tablets: European Commission [4].
Three things the table does not say
- Some parts are for professionals only. For displays, for example, the internal power supply, connectors, larger capacitors, batteries and drive modules go to professional repairers, while the external power supply and the remote control must also be sold to end users [3].
- The clock starts late. For displays and phones, the period runs from when the model stops being placed on the market or sold, not from when you bought yours [3] [4].
- Phones also get battery and software rules. Batteries must manage "at least 800 charge cycles while retaining at least 80% of their initial capacity", and operating-system updates must continue for at least 5 years after the last unit is sold [4].
What about price?
The ecodesign rules oblige manufacturers to make parts available; the repair directive adds that manufacturers who offer parts must sell them "at a reasonable price that does not deter repair" [5]. EU countries had to apply the directive from 31 July 2026 through national law, and Euronews reported that only a handful met that deadline [6]. The same report cites BEUC's June 2026 market check, which found an official vacuum-cleaner battery at 56% of the appliance's original price [6].
When the period has run out
Older appliances, discontinued variants and small parts sold only inside a large assembly fall outside these lists. That is where a maker comes in. Small plastic parts such as shelf supports, handles, caps, knobs and clips are often good candidates to remake, as long as they are not safety-critical: check what should never be remade first.
To get a quote, find the model number, then post the part with photos and measurements.
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Sources
- European Commission: Questions and answers on ecodesign and energy labelling measures (QANDA/19/5889, 1 October 2019) (published October 1, 2019)
- European Consumer Centre Belgium: Spare parts and repairs obligatory in Europe (accessed October 12, 2026)
- The Ecodesign for Energy-Related Products and Energy Information Regulations 2021 (SI 2021/745), Schedule 19: design for repair and reuse of electronic displays (accessed October 12, 2026)
- European Commission: New EU rules for durable, energy-efficient and repairable smartphones and tablets start applying (20 June 2025) (published June 20, 2025)
- Directive (EU) 2024/1799 on common rules promoting the repair of goods, Article 5 (EUR-Lex) (accessed October 12, 2026)
- Euronews: Right to repair — spare parts and services price Europeans out of fixing their gadgets (10 September 2026) (published September 10, 2026)
Figures are quoted as the sources state them, checked October 14, 2026. Rules and schemes change, so check the source before relying on a figure.
Drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above by the ReplacementParts.app editors. ReplacementParts.app is a guide published by The Spool List Ltd. Its buttons lead to The Spool List, our marketplace, which earns a commission from makers on completed orders. We don't sell parts ourselves, and no maker pays to appear in these guides. ReplacementParts.app is not affiliated with or endorsed by any manufacturer named on this page.