FTC Schedules Wednesday Right to Repair Vote, Following Executive Order

The FTC plans an open meeting at noon Wednesday, when commissioners will vote on issuing a new policy statement on right to repair restrictions. President Joe Biden’s executive order earlier this month encouraged the FTC to issue rules against anticompetitive restrictions on using independent repair shops or doing do-it-yourself repairs of devices and equipment. See our bulletin here. The FTC will vote on issuing a “new policy statement, following the Commission's ‘Nixing the Fix’ report which was unanimously agreed to and announced on May 6, 2021,” Chair Lina Khan announced July 12.

The commission also expects to vote on whether to rescind a policy statement issued in 1995 on “‘prior approval’ and ‘prior notice’ remedies in merger cases.” Speaker registration and comment submission is through 8 p.m. EST Monday.

Tech industry associations didn't comment right away.