Montenegro draft law expands consumer repair rights

For households, the economic effect is straightforward: when a washing machine, phone or other durable item breaks after two years, the cheaper option will no longer default to buying new. That matters in an economy where consumer budgets are under pressure, and where repair can stretch the useful life of products and slow wasteful replacement spending.

The bill also targets practices tied to higher costs for consumers, including greenwashing claims and planned obsolescence. The ministry said current rules do not adequately stop misleading environmental marketing, software-driven shortening of product life or design tricks that make it harder to cancel digital services.

That is likely to matter for investors in consumer electronics, appliances and digital services because the proposal would push companies to disclose repair pricing, stock parts and adjust marketing, adding compliance costs but also opening up repair services, refurbished goods and independent technician networks. For manufacturers, it could mean lower unit sales over time but potentially better loyalty and service revenue.

The draft also modernizes rules for distance-sold financial services, requiring standardized pre-contract disclosures and a simple electronic cancellation function for online contracts. The ministry said the changes should reduce legal uncertainty in digital markets and make it easier for consumers to exit subscriptions and other remote agreements.

The government says the law should not require extra budget spending beyond setting up the repair platform, but businesses would face adaptation costs. The measure still has to go through public consultation and later implementation, with the platform expected by July 31, 2027.