The Right to Repair Directive in B2B: IT procurement and maintenance guide

European legislative changes are redefining how companies manage their IT infrastructure. The EU Right to Repair Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1799) expands hardware manufacturers' obligations and radically transforms B2B procurement strategies, the lifecycle of office equipment, and the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

What is the Right to Repair Directive and what does it change in the B2B sector?

The European directive on promoting the repair of goods requires manufacturers to ensure fast, affordable, and transparent repair services, both during and after the warranty period.

Here are the main pillars of the regulation that impact IT and Procurement departments:

• Mandatory access to spare parts and documentation: manufacturers are required to supply original spare parts and repair manuals at reasonable prices to independent repair services and in-house IT departments.
• Prohibition of software/hardware lock-ins: manufacturers can no longer use "part pairing" techniques (software pairing of components) or contractual clauses that prevent repairs carried out by third parties or with compatible parts.
• Extension of the legal guarantee: when a repair is carried out during the warranty period, the product's legal guarantee is automatically extended by an additional 12 months.
• Launch of the European Repair Information Form: a standardized transparency framework regarding estimated costs and timelines for maintenance services.

Official source: European Parliament - Adopted text on the Right to Repair.

Impact on IT Budgets: From CapEx to TCO Optimization

Until now, many companies applied a policy of systematically replacing their fleet of laptops, monitors, or servers every 3-4 years due to prohibitive costs of original spare parts or a lack of vendor support.

The directive fundamentally shifts the financial equation:

• Lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership): the ability to easily replace a battery, soldered RAM module, or power port extends equipment lifespan from 3 to 5-7 years without performance degradation.
• Financial predictability through third-party SLAs: companies are no longer solely dependent on expensive original manufacturer (OEM) warranty extensions. The Third-Party Maintenance (TPM) IT market becomes significantly more competitive.
• Increased Residual Value: used IT equipment that can be easily repaired retains a higher value on the refurbished/remarketing market, generating additional revenue upon decommissioning.

B2B checklist: how to adjust your IT procurement policy

To fully benefit from the new EU regulations, procurement departments must introduce new criteria into their RFPs/RFQs:

• Mandatory repairability score: require suppliers to provide the equipment’s repairability index (e.g., component accessibility, absence of permanent adhesives).
• Spare parts availability: include contractual clauses ensuring the supplier guarantees the availability of critical components (batteries, displays, motherboards) for a minimum period of 7–10 years.
• Refurbished/sustainable hardware strategy: integrate certified refurbished equipment into the fleet, supported by the EU Ecodesign Directive (European Commission – Ecodesign Framework).