Sir, – Regarding the European Commission’s proposal to implement a “right to repair”, in a move to tackle planned obsolescence and the throwaway culture, should any manufacturers oppose such a proposal on the grounds that it infringes on their free-market rights to design as they wish, they can always be reminded that the intellectual property laws that they avail of, in order to stifle competition, are likewise antithetical to a free market, and could simply be abolished in lieu of enforcing certain manufacturing standards. – Yours, etc,
NICK BUCKNELL,
Bray,
Co Wicklow.