Andreea Nicolae (PIVOT-C): Repair, not replace, going further by looking back at the old repair practices

Years of prosperity and economic growth, correlated with a well-marketed consumer culture, have encouraged us to buy more and always be in trend with the latest models of electronic devices as the perfect way to display the image of personal success. Furthermore, producers have encouraged new sales by limiting the lifespan of devices through a series of strategies – expensive after warranty service, expensive parts, limited access to repair services, outdated software, batteries that wear out in a short period of time. The list can easily continue. But can we keep this going? Is it sustainable? NO.

By Andreea Nicolae, Co-Founder, Managing Partner at PIVOT-C

Repair instead of replacement

The world we live in has limited resources that are just about to run out, therefore our European legal representatives came up with a few solutions, one of  them: the right-to-repair (R2R) directive, on which recently the Council and the European Parliament have reached a provisional deal. The R2R directive concerns the right of consumers to repair broken or defective goods through easier, cheaper, and faster access to repair services. This directive will create the incentives that consumers need to prolong the lifespan of goods and help reduce the overall consumption of resources.

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For some context – The Right to Repair initiative, adopted by the European Commission on March 2023, aims to mitigate current patterns of business and consumption, marked by frequent and premature replacement and discarding of goods. It will help save costs for consumers and facilitate the development of a resource-efficient circular economy. The directive will apply to the repair of goods beyond legal guarantees. Why is this important? Because it covers the whole lifecycle of products and will make the goods more repairable and durable. The initiative will help prioritize repair over replacement, will oblige producers to offer repairs, and introduce platforms and forms to facilitate repair services, thereby promoting a sustainable business model and consumer savings.

Where do Europeans stand on this matter? According to the October 2022 Eurobarometer survey regarding the Fairness perceptions of the green transition, 88% of EU citizens support this goal and 77% of Europeans feel a personal responsibility to act to limit climate change.

While 50% agree that the EU is doing enough to ensure that the green transition is fair, 50% consider their regional or local authorities must get involved, 47% of EU citizens think their national government is doing enough and 43% agree that the corporate sector is doing enough.

The percentage regarding the public authorities is quite similar, perception-wise, in Romania: 52% of Romanian citizens believe that their regional, city, or local public authorities are doing enough for a green transition, 48% consider the government is doing its part while 52% agree the companies and corporate sector is doing enough.

One key element of the circular economy is improving the sustainable consumption of goods. This will reduce waste and avoid the use of unnecessary resources and the production of greenhouse gas emissions.

Why do we need the right to repair initiative?

Did I mention that our virgin natural resources are running out? Since 1970, we are in an ecological deficit. We use resources at a rate 50% faster than they can be regenerated by nature, currently, 1.7 Earth planets are needed to support humanity’s annual demand on the ecosystem.

When goods become defective, they are often discarded prematurely instead of being repaired and reused. If they are still under legal guarantee, free replacement is often chosen over free repair, and returned viable goods get tossed frequently. After the legal guarantee has expired, many consumers are discouraged from repair because it is difficult to identify a suitable repair service at an acceptable price, sometimes may be geographically difficult to access and there is uncertainty about the process.

The Right to Repair directive is on the right path with EU member states, Romania included, currently working to transpose it into their national legislation, but still has a long way to go for implementation.

In the meantime, many countries are raising awareness, mainly through NGOs, and repair services are also starting to get some traction through online platforms or businesses such as Repair Cafes.

Repair Cafes are free meeting places where people can bring their broken items from home and repair them with the help of expert volunteers who have repair skills in all kinds of fields. They are offering tools and materials for things such as clothes, furniture, electrical appliances, bicycles, crockery, appliances, toys, etc. The cafes can also be frequented just for relaxation, maybe lending a helping hand with a repair for those who need it, or for leafing through books on repairs and DIY. Repair Cafes haven’t yet opened in Romania but have become quite popular in Europe, with over 2500 locations so far.

Things are clear, the right to repair initiative is a crucial link in the green transition and the Circular Economy Action Plan, which should transform the EU into a circular economy. We have the drive to act, we took the first steps to set the legal framework, what’s next?

There isn’t a one-way approach for Romania, or any other country, to implement the initiative, but rather a comprehensive one. After the national legislation will be developed and adopted, with regulations fit for our specific context, but within the EU legislative framework, as all national approaches need to be aligned with EU initiatives, here are some ideas for Romania to pursue:

• A repair infrastructure needs to be developed, i.e. a network of repair centers accessible and affordable for the entire population.
• The companies should be encouraged to transition to this green initiative through financial incentives such as grants, tax breaks or subsidies.
• The public and private sector should engage in a continuous dialogue and work together to find the best solutions for both parties when implementing the right to repair. Getting the manufacturers and retailers on board and motivated will not be an easy task!
• Raising awareness for both consumers and manufacturers is a key point in this process.
• National campaigns can educate the population and businesses on how they can reduce waste, reduce the greenhouse gas emissions or the stress on virgin natural resources by repairing goods instead of disposing of them and thus reducing the negative impact on the environment and their own pocket.
• Innovation and research should accompany the whole process as sustainable product design is essential for the longevity and durability of any good.
• Manufacturers should design products so they can be easily disassembled to replace parts.
• When repairs are simpler, they become more cost-effective and will encourage consumers to choose repair over replacement.
• Finally, whatever one cannot measure, one cannot manage. Romania needs a mechanism to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the right to repair initiative in order to assess the effectiveness of the policies and make adjustments on the go, whenever is needed, to achieve the main goals. By monitoring we can check if the manufacturers, sellers and repairers comply with the policies and which are the economic effects. All the data gathered along the way will help shape better policies in the future.

Although the road to a sustainable economy is bumpy and will need the involvement of us all, we need to acknowledge that this isn’t just a fight worth fighting, it is one that we need to win as there is no planet B anywhere in sight for the near future.