Right to Repair
Context:
- The U.S. state of New York recently passed the Fair Repair Act, which requires manufacturers to supply repair information, tools, and parts to independent repair shops and not just their own stores or partners.
About:
- Only the domestic situation of the country can decide the scope of the right.
- In comparison to the past, we now use more complex machinery.
- Air conditioners, for example, have mainly replaced fans and coolers.
- Because it lacks the tools, materials, instructions, and technical know-how to repair these high-tech products, an entire repair class is effectively denied the opportunity to conduct business.
- Furthermore, repair employees’ lack of certification/licensing is perceived as a reflection of their lack of skills.
- A repair certification/licence, on the other hand, can be granted to persons who meet specified criteria and pass skill exams.
- It may also be advantageous because tech companies are compelled to share their repair manuals with qualified technicians, in addition to defending their right to livelihood.
Section 2(9) of CoPA:
- Manufacturers frequently degrade product durability, forcing customers to either buy the product or have it repaired at exorbitant fees imposed by the manufacturer.
- This, in particular, infringes on the right to access information about the product’s quality, the right to obtain products at reasonable rates, and the right to seek recourse for unethical activities.
- The ‘right to repair’ is implied in Section 2(9) of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, when examined closely. This calls for a sigh of relief.
Way Forward:
- With access to relevant tools and repair manuals, independent repair shops will finally be able to compete with manufacturers.
- While this is a victory for consumer rights, privacy, security and quality concerns along with blatant intellectual property (IP) rights violations of the manufacturers cannot be sidelined.
Source The Hindu
