Norway proposes 35 million NOK pilot for appliance repairs

The Norwegian government has proposed a 35 million NOK pilot program in its national budget to encourage the repair of household appliances such as refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines.

Climate and Environment Minister Sigrun Aasland stated that the initiative aims to address the high costs and difficulties currently associated with repairing appliances, which often leads consumers to purchase new products instead. The goal is to promote a circular economy and reduce waste by making repairs more accessible and financially viable.

Enova will be responsible for managing and distributing the funds, with technical guidance provided by the Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet). The pilot project is intended to determine how such a scheme can be scaled up in the future. While the government is pursuing this subsidy model, it has faced criticism from consumer groups for not implementing VAT reductions on repairs and second-hand goods.