Austria to discontinue 130‑Euro appliance repair grant by end of 2026

The Austrian "Geräte‑Retter‑Prämie" – a subsidy that covered 50 % of repair costs for household appliances up to €130 per item, with an extra €30 possible for cost estimates – will end at the close of 2026. The scheme, launched in early 2023 to replace an earlier repair bonus, also extended to certain medical devices such as wheelchairs, care beds, ventilators and blood‑pressure monitors. By mid‑2024 more than 100,000 vouchers had been issued, most of them already paid out, covering items like washing machines, dishwashers, laptops, coffee makers, vacuum cleaners and cordless drills. Applications are submitted online through an official platform.

Environment Minister Norbert Totschnig said the programme’s strong uptake shows citizens view repair as an attractive alternative to buying new goods. The grant is being withdrawn as part of budget‑saving measures, with no new funding allocated after 2026. Excluded from the scheme are bicycles, e‑bikes, smartphones and luxury or entertainment devices.