The Europe­an Parlia­ment has asked the Europe­an Commis­sion to specif­ically legisl­ate over planne­d obsole­scence­PARIS: From nylon stockings to smartphones and inkjet printers, the practice known as “planned obsolescence” – designing products that wear out sooner than necessary – has inspired controversy and debate for years. The term “planned obsolescence” dates back from 1932 in the United States during the economic crisis, when developer Bernard London defended legally imposing obsolescence on consumer goods in an effort to stimulate industry and growth. In a report released in June in France, the French Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME) did not make a determination on the existence of planned obsolescence, but rather questioned the notion of “perceived obsolescence”. On Thursday, French prosecutors launched a probe into Japanese printer maker Epson — brought by the association Stop Planned Obsolescence (Hop or Halte a l’ Obsolescence Programmee) – for alleged planned obsolescence and deception in its products. The European Parliament has asked the European Commission to specifically legislate over planned obsolescence, through the mid-July plenary vote of a non-binding resolution.

Source: The Express Tribune December 29, 2017 11:37 UTC