The Right to Repair in EU Competition Law

Abstract

The Right to Repair-movement focuses on a fairly simple goal: an increase of sustainability through a consumer’s right to repair a good instead of disposing it and buying a replacement. However, this thought has yet to be comprehensively anchored in European legislation. In US law, for example, the Right to Repair movement has already achieved some developments in copyright law and even is pursuing its goals in antitrust. These measures frequently revolve around the automotive industry (especially regarding agricultural vehicles) as well as the electronic aftermarket. In contrast, EU law has – despite ambitiously efforts for sustainability goals – not given the right to repair the most prominent place in its environmentally-friendly toolbox yet. Still, the Right to Repair has left some marks in the EU and its traces can be found in the current legal framework – even in competition law.