A possible right to repairs has already been discussed in the media in the past. After Apple took legal action against a Norwegian iPhone repair shop, they gave in to pressure from the legislature and offered a corresponding repair program. This means that third-party suppliers are also able to obtain original Apple components and thus repair the devices. As a result, both Media Markt and Saturn are currently receiving Apple smartphones for repairs in their stores. Now, however, the EU Parliament seems to be going one step further and decided last Wednesday to launch its own initiative.

target is under among other things, to minimize greenhouse gases and produce more climate-neutral. However, one would also like to act against obsolescence. Above all, manufacturers must not take any precautions in the future that would shorten the life of a product. The so-called planned obsolescence is said to have had its day. However, it can hardly be assumed that manufacturers will use higher quality materials in the future in order to guarantee a longer shelf life. Only predetermined breaking points or the like must then no longer exist. So there are enough loopholes to circumvent the EU’s demand.

Furthermore, a uniform charger for smartphones was once again the subject of the EU Parliament. Although there are currently various EU requirements, these have hardly been implemented by the manufacturers to date. It remains to be seen whether this will change in the future. In addition, there should be clearly defined guidelines for products that describe themselves as environmentally friendly. So that so-called greenwashing can be excluded. A corresponding certification program would certainly make sense here.