To combat electronic waste and abusive practices like manufacturers legally preventing users from repairing their devices, the EU is preparing legislation that would legalize a customer's "right to repair," and would force vendors to design products for longer life and easier maintenance.
An initial EU report outlining the upcoming legislation — which is available here — would also grant users the legal right to repair products in any repair shop of the user's choosing.
The EU argues that by replacing only the part of a product that breaks down, they'll reduce the amount of electronic waste that's produced each year, bringing it down to smaller numbers that can be easily recycled.

FROM: http://taint.org