The European coalition for the right to repair
Defend your Right to Repair !
We advocate for :
Ecodesigned devices that are durable and repairable by all
Products must not only perform well, but also be durable and easy to repair. Ecodesign standards are therefore needed to make it easier to dismantle and repair them.
Access to manuals, diagrams and spare parts
Legal barriers should not prevent products from being repaired. Everyone should have access to spare parts and repair manuals throughout the life of a product.
A fair price
Repairs must be accessible, affordable and widespread for everyone, without costing more than a new product. Financial incentives and a reduction in the price of spare parts need to be put in place.
Informed consumers
Citizens play a crucial role in choosing repairable products. It is essential to provide them with information on the repairability of products at the time of purchase.
Right to Repair Europe is a coalition of European organisations focused on the concept of repair. It represents communities and movements of repairers, social economy actors, self-repair and all citizens who want to defend their right to repair.
The European coalition, a lever for action
Repair Together is a member of this coalition, alongside more than 150 other organisations from 30 different countries.
Our role at our level? To report information from the field on the (non-)repairability of certain products, in particular by gathering data and statistics. We act locally and in partnership with other associations to feed the coalition, which is acting to shake up European policy!
Short-term objectives :
European legislation must set minimum design requirements to ensure that key components, starting with those in smartphones and laptops, can be easily dismantled and replaced. This legal framework should be established in fair and inclusive national registers that are independent of manufacturers.
The EU should introduce a reparability rating system as part of the existing energy labelling for all energy-using products.
Work and news
The coalition's work involves influencing, lobbying and political pushing. Here are a few interesting resources on progress in terms of the right to reparation, in Belgium and in Europe:
The right to repair ends where the manufacturer's right to produce a non-repairable object begins.
A record 62 million tonnes (Mt) of e-waste was produced in 2022, an increase of 82% compared to 2010; this quantity is expected to increase by a further 32%, reaching 82 million tonnes in 2030.