Right to Repair: Steffen Vangerow on the New Legislation

Steffen Vangerow, circular economy expert and Right to Repair specialist, explains the new developments at the Greentech.LIVE conference in Hamburg.

The Reutlingen native, who has been campaigning for the promotion of repairs (Right to Repair) for years, sees the new legislation as an important step towards sustainability. It obliges manufacturers to provide spare parts, wiring diagrams, and repair information in order to facilitate repairs.

Promoting a Free Spare Parts Market

The law promotes a free spare parts market and creates additional incentives for consumers by extending the warranty after repairs. In particular, it improves the possibility of repairing devices that have been hampered by software blockages. This measure helps to extend the service life of products and reduce electronic waste.

Supporting Local Repair Businesses and Circular Economy

Vangerow emphasizes that the regulation not only promotes environmental protection but also supports local repair businesses. These benefit from a larger market and can compete with larger companies. The law is also a response to the growing importance of the circular economy, as it extends the life cycle of products.

The right to repair has already been enshrined at the European level and is intended to pave the way for more sustainable use of electronics and less waste.