The Right to Repair:
Legal Incentives and Potential Barriers to Sustainable Consumption
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REPAREU is the acronym for the research project “The Right to Repair: Legal Incentives and Potential Barriers to Sustainable Consumption” (PID2023-151559OB-I00). It is funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
The project arises in a context of growing concern about unsustainable production and consumption models. Indeed, these models are generating significant environmental and economic impacts across the European Union.
REPAREU aims to support the transformation of consumer law into an effective legal tool within the EU’s regulatory framework for sustainability. It positions consumer law as a key driver for achieving the goals of the European Green Deal and the circular economy. The project also seeks to promote a systemic shift toward more responsible consumption practices. This includes long-term repairability strategies aligned with environmental objectives.
OBJECTIVES
This project aims to evaluate the measures adopted within the framework of the European Union to promote the repair of consumer goods. It also seeks to analyse the set of incentives that may support sustainable consumption. These incentives are viewed as effective tools to combat climate change and to reduce the generation of electronic and material waste.
To achieve this, the project proposes a multidisciplinary approach. This approach considers the implications of the right to repair as a means of empowering consumers in their decision-making and actions. It also highlights its direct contribution to environmental sustainability, its potential to foster technological innovation, and its relevance to the legitimate interests of industry in competitive markets.
Additionally, the project examines whether the recognition of a right to repair is compatible with intellectual property rights. These rights are often invoked by manufacturers to deny access to the technical information required to repair goods, reuse components, or market spare parts and refurbished products.
To achieve these overarching goals, the project sets out the following specific objectives:
So1
Identify legal, contractual, or technological barriers that may hinder consumers’ ability to repair purchased goods.
SO2:
Identify the potential benefits of the right to repair for consumers, businesses, and the environment.
SO3:
Analyse how the right to repair aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its broader international implications.
SO4:
Identify and critically assess the regulatory frameworks governing the right to repair, with special attention to their impact on the market.
SO5:
Monitor existing legislative proposals related to the right to repair.
SO6:
Analyse the system of incentives underlying various policy measures aimed at promoting more responsible consumption.
SO7:
Determine whether –and to what extent– it would be justified to introduce limitations or exceptions to intellectual property rights in order to ensure the effectiveness of the right to repair.
SO8:
Develop proposals to ensure a balanced and effective protection of the right to repair.
SO9:
Disseminate the findings of the research both to the general public and within the academic community.
