Right to repair: Repair cafés can apply for funding from December

Self-help workshops and repair cafés will soon be able to apply for funding. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment (BMUV), an online portal is expected to be available in December 2024 that will allow such projects to submit applications online. Each non-profit repair initiative can then apply for a one-off grant of up to 3,000 euros; recurring funding is not planned.

Initially, all repair initiatives that are organized as registered associations and whose non-profit status has been established with a notice of exemption from the tax office will be able to apply. In a follow-up programme in the course of next year, the BMUV also wants to support those repair initiatives that are not organized as associations.

This year, the European Council adopted the Right to Repair Directive ("R2R"). It is intended to make it easier for consumers to have goods repaired rather than replaced. In addition to requirements for sellers and manufacturers of products such as smartphones, tablets, screens and washing machines, the directive also provides funding for self-help workshops.

3 million euros in the pot

The "Repairing instead of throwing away" funding program now launched by the German government comprises 3 million euros. Federal Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) sees repair cafés and self-help workshops as "an important support for the right to repair. And they are places of civic participation where environmental protection is actively practiced".

In addition to the right to repair, Lemke's ministry refers to the EU regulations on eco-design, which were also adopted this year. "From June 20, 2025, tablets and smartphones must be repairable and instructions and certain spare parts must be made available, such as displays and batteries." The EU directive on the right to repair gives consumers a one-year longer warranty period if they decide to have a defect repaired during the two-year warranty period instead of demanding a new device.

The funding is intended to enable repair initiatives to better equip themselves. "Eligible for funding are primarily investment measures for the procurement of devices and machines, tools, equipment, materials and consumables and comparable items," writes the BMUV. Expenses for the maintenance of premises and for events as well as for qualification and training measures for volunteer repairers are also eligible.

The "anstiftung", initiator and operator of the Repair Initiatives Network in Germany, is responsible for distributing the funding. It will soon activate the funding portal, after which the application procedure will be announced, according to the BMUV.

(anw)