AIPLA Comments to Federal Trade Commission on Proposed Rulemaking Regarding Consumers “Right to Repair”
Written February 5, 2024
Arlington, VA. February 1, 2024 - The American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA) submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in response to the petition for rulemaking to protect consumers’ right to repair products they have purchased.
The comments suggest that a legal policy analysis of the "right-to-repair" raises significant intellectual property concerns, with the passing references to IP matters cursory and insufficient. The current Administration acknowledges the importance of a comprehensive approach, including in antitrust policies, and therefore AIPLA recommends collaboration between the FTC and key intellectual property oversight bodies, namely the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the U.S. Copyright Office, in developing rules or policies in this area. AIPLA expresses readiness to engage in discussions regarding the IP aspects of the matter and address any questions that may arise.
Please download the comments posted to the right of this page to view in full.