The bill aims to make electronic products more durable and improve the rate at which products are repaired rather than replaced. Warranty periods will be extended to three years and repair options, both spare parts and services, will need to be available inside Estonia, regardless of an item's country of origin.

Minister of Justice and Digital Affairs Liisa Pakosta (Eesti 200) said under current rules getting a defective household appliance repaired generally costs more than buying a replacement. One of the bill's objectives is consequently to encourage manufacturers to produce more durable products.

"Manufacturer liability will be extended to three years, and if something needs to be repaired that is not the result of damage caused by the user but stems from poor product quality, then the manufacturer will indeed have to cover the cost of that repair. The manufacturer's warranty will also be extended from two years to three years if the product is repaired," Pakosta told ERR.

Jüri Rütman of the service center at computer repair store Netiabi said while there is interest in getting devices repaired, there are cases where buying a new device makes more sense. Availability of spare parts depends on a device's age too, he noted. "With products up to 10 years old, manufacturers can generally still provide spare parts, but not for older devices. Around 10 years is the dividing line," Rütman said.

Minister Pakosta said the changes included in the bill should help alleviate the spare parts problem.

"In addition, manufacturers must ensure that those spare parts are actually available. There have been situations, particularly in Estonia, which is a small market, where spare parts have simply not been available. Repair technicians themselves have told us this," she said.

Pakosta said the bill would not affect Estonian manufacturers. Instead, Estonian household appliance retailers are likely to rely more on manufacturers that have a representative within the EU.

"If your product breaks down within three years of purchase, the manufacturer will actually be obliged to repair it. If the manufacturer or its representative does not have a presence in the European Union, then the seller must arrange for repairs. That means selling products for which no repair arrangements exist will become less attractive for retailers," Pakosta said.

The bill will need to be approved at the governmental level and then pass a Riigikogu vote before entering into law.

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