briefINSIGHT by RREUSE
The proposal is a cautious step forward towards promoting repair and refurbishment, but still falls short of introducing a true right to repair for EU citizens. A “right to repair” legislation was initially announced in the 2021 State of the Union address as part of the European Green Deal, with the aim of extending the lifespan of products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste, while also creating green and local employment opportunities.
However, the proposed legislation does not fundamentally change the increasing monopoly over repair by manufacturers that prevents fair competition with independent repairers and social enterprises active in refurbishment, hindering the possibility of reuse and repair being more accessible and affordable for everyone.
The proposed legislation does not fundamentally change the increasing monopoly over repair by manufacturers that prevents fair competition with independent repairers and social enterprises active in refurbishment, hindering the possibility of reuse and repair being more accessible and affordable for everyone.
RREUSE regrets that the proposed text is lacking a horizontal requirement to ensure the affordability of spare parts and the availability of repair information across the board. Likewise, a concrete ban on repair restrictions and planned obsolescence practices is also missing from the proposal. This is also a missed opportunity to promote fiscal and financial incentives to reduce the price of repair via VAT reductions, repair vouchers and eco-modulation of EPR fees.
The introduction of a European Repair Information Form and especially the establishment of an online repair and refurbishment platform are very welcome additions to make repair attractive to consumers, but the actual impact of these provisions is limited by the limited ambition. RREUSE, as a steering board member of the Right to Repair Campaign, is ready to work with the co-legislators to ensure that the final text will include more wide-ranging provisions to change the status quo for repair and refurbishment in Europe. lack of wideranging provisions changing the status quo for repair.
Edoardo Bodo, Environment Policy Officer, RREUSE: “The proposal takes some concrete steps to promote repair and re-use, especially by raising the visibility of local repair and refurbishment options, but the overall lack of ambition limits the possibility to enact meaningful change and ultimately falls short of delivering a true right to repair”.
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