The Sustainability Concept in the Consumer Purchase Contract
Is the R2R Directive Sustainable Enough?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5507/Keywords:
right to repair (R2R), EU Directive 2024/1799, sustainability, circular economy, planned obsolescence, intellectual property rights, independent repairers, compatible spare parts, consumer lawAbstract
The article deals with the legal analysis of Directive (EU) 2024/1799 (so called Right to Repair Directive), which represents a key step in the regulation of the right to repair of goods in the European Union. The Directive aims to promote sustainable consumer behaviour, extend the lifetime of products and contribute to the objectives of the circular economy. The article focuses on the key provisions of the Directive, analyses its benefits and weaknesses, and identifies the legal challenges associated with implementation, including the impact of intellectual property rights, economic and cultural barriers to repair, and the lack of a clear preference for repair over replacement of goods. The paper concludes by assessing that the Directive represents a significant step in the right direction, but that its effectiveness depends on further adjustments to strengthen its impact and meet the European Union’s ambitious sustainability objectives.
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