Right to repair and longer product shelf life With a series of measures, the Internal Market Committee of the European Parliament wants to see consumer protection as well as the sustainability and safety of products strengthened. In a resolution for an environmentally compatible internal market for companies and consumers, the MPs appeal to the EU Commission to introduce a “right to repair” as soon as possible. Repairs should become more attractive, more cost-effective and the standard. The committee also wants to counteract the planned obsolescence. The aim is to restrict practices that intentionally shorten the life of a product.

End-to-end encryption for Zoom clients is here After a long period of announcement, Zoom users worldwide can now hold video conferences with end-to-end encryption. It is initially available for the desktop client version 5.4.0 for macOS and PC as well as the Android app and Zoom Rooms. However, the encryption must be activated in each case and cannot be combined with all other functions. For example, conversations can no longer be recorded because they end up in the cloud. Numerous telephone systems are simply not compatible with the technology.

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Government dispute over contract terms delayed TKG amendment Actually, the reform of the Telecommunications Act should be completed by the end of Be through the year, but the ministries cannot agree on consumer protection. The draft bill prepared by the Federal Ministries of Economics and Infrastructure has been stuck in the cabinet since the beginning of August: Federal Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht insists on limiting the term for telecommunications contracts to one year. According to the previously known draft, providers should be obliged to offer one-year contracts as well, but the door would remain open for the two years that have been customary up to now.

Study on plastic waste in the Mediterranean According to a study, incorrect waste disposal in a few countries is primarily responsible for plastic pollution in the Mediterranean. According to a new calculation by the World Conservation Union, an estimated annual flow of 230. 000 tons of plastic into