The EU already made mandatory 24 months warranty for all products sold in Europe.
I think this has been beneficial not only to European citizens but also to the US where there isn't a minimum warranty by default. Businesses who sell products on both sides of the Atlantic seem to have mirrored the imposed warranty of the EU in the US.
I am in favor of extending the minimum warranty.
PS: isn't there also some regulation that a business should provide pieces for repair for a period of 10 years? I seem to recall something like that.
The EU directive might say that but countries codify that into law differently. For example, here in Greece, there is actually no law stating warranties should be two years. It only says that the warranty should be "reasonable depending on the expected lifetime of the product".
Don't forget that the 24 month warranty is one of the stated reasons for justifying the sale price difference for the same product between the US and the EU.
If it's increased, manufacturers will just increase their EU prices so that their costs will be covered.
I don't want to have to pay more for durable products. Please let me choose whether I want to buy extended warranty -- many manufacturers already offer it, but I'm not interested it in.
But extended warranty is just insurance, nothing to do with the product being durable or not.
I don't buy the argument that costs will skyrocket. Most manufacturers, won't give a lot of thought to making their products more durable while keeping the costs down, unless pressured, either by consumers, or the government. They're more focused on making money (rightfully so). The incentive to keep making money because their products break often causing people to re-buy, must be removed IMHO.
I know that most people change their phones often but there are products that are expensive like washing machine, gas heaters that should be designed from the start to last 5 years or more. If 2 companies build washing machines and they need to increase the warranty time, the one that can do that with less price increase would sell more, the one that planned them to break down faster would lose and have to make a new dessign.
Would you buy a car if the seller gives 1 month warranty?
My opinion is that expensive products should have longer warranty by default. For cheaper products current 2 years is fine.
I think this has been beneficial not only to European citizens but also to the US where there isn't a minimum warranty by default. Businesses who sell products on both sides of the Atlantic seem to have mirrored the imposed warranty of the EU in the US.
I am in favor of extending the minimum warranty.
PS: isn't there also some regulation that a business should provide pieces for repair for a period of 10 years? I seem to recall something like that.