Repair bonus restarts: 30 million euros for sustainable help!

Repair bonus restarts: 30 million euros for sustainable help!

Nordrhein-Westfalen, Deutschland - The repair bonus in Austria will restart at the end of 2025 after the funds were used up in May 2025. The Ministry of Climate has announced that it will plan 30 million euros annually for this bonus. The bonus is currently evaluated to better understand the use and effectiveness and to adapt if necessary. As part of the budget planning for 2026, the same means are planned to boost the already established repair service.

Since the funding start in 2022, a total of around 130 million euros from the EU building and resilience fund have been available, supplemented by additional funds from the federal government. These funds have made it possible to redeem over 1.7 million bons for repairs, maintenance and similar services. Repairs on smartphones, dishwasher, washing machines and coffee machines were carried out particularly frequently. Around 6,000 partner companies in Austria are currently active, which offer repair services and thus contribute to sustainable resource use.

background of the repair bonus

The principle behind the repair bonus not only promotes the repair of devices, but also supports the general climate goals. In this context, the Life program, the EU funding instrument for environmental and climate protection, plays an important role. The LIFE program is the only EU program that is only devoted to these goals and supports local actors in the implementation of measures to achieve the EU environmental and climate goals. It contributes to the implementation of the European Green Deal and the Clean Industrial Deal.

The Life program includes various sub-programs, including nature conservation and biodiversity, circular economy and quality of life as well as the energy transition and energy efficiency. The sub -program "Climate Protection and Climate Adaptation" is particularly emphasized, the aim of which is to promote a climate -neutral and resilient society. The focus here is on innovative solutions and proven best practices to develop political concepts and optimize administrative processes.

Current Life projects

Current life projects, such as the "roll-out climadapt" in North Rhine-Westphalia and the Dutch Overijssel as well as the "Contempo2" for sustainable water management, show the large number of initiatives that are funded by the LIFE program. These projects aim to develop adaptation strategies for climate change as well as to create a dynamic water ecosystem that reacts to changed environmental conditions.

The annual tenders for life projects enable both private and public institutions in the EU to make funding applications. The funding rate for climate projects can be up to 60 percent, whereby projects can usually take between three and ten years. Information on this program is provided by the Life advice center, which is located in the future-Environment-Gesellschaft (Zug) gGmbH.

Overall, it can be seen that both the repair bonus and the life program are important elements in the strategy of Austria and the EU for a sustainable and climate-neutral future path.