The European Commission has ratified "right to repair" regulations, which will require manufacturers to design longer-lasting products and make spare parts readily available in a push to reduce waste.
The regulations mark the first time that requirements around repairability have been included in the EU's Ecodesign Framework, which mainly includes energy and water efficiency standards.
As of 2021, the revised standards will apply to electric items including televisions, lighting, fridges, washing machines and dishwashers.
Spare parts must be available for 10 years
The rules mean that the companies will have to make available spare parts to independent professional repairers for up to 10 years after the purchase date.
The regulations also set out that these parts will need to be replaceable using common tools and without damaging the product. According to EU estimates, the measures together with stricter energy labelling will amount to annual a reduction of more than 46 million tonnes of CO2 per year.

"Figures speak for themselves: these measures can save European households on average ?150 per year and contribute to energy savings equal to annual energy consumption of Denmark by 2030," said Jyrki Katainen, European Commission vice-president for jobs, growth, investment and competitiveness.
"It is with concrete steps such as these that Europe as a whole is embracing the circular economy to the benefit of citizens, our environment and European ...