It is very much a reality. One that tech companies have put hard work into creating, with vertical integration and contractual locking down of spare parts, which could otherwise have been components for anyone's DIY project.

My current phone cost < $200 and I always tend to buy lower cost phones.
Now, if I were to buy something like a Fairphone, I would be looking into getting something shipped here, which would incur additional fuel costs and on top of that, taxes. And then add to that, that all future spare parts will require a similar effort, it becomes unfeasible to me real fast.
The only way it makes sense, is if someone in my country starts considering doing the same thing, which requires a great change in a lot of people's mindset.

And that is why "European countries are changing", slowly. It will take more than a little while and so will all other countries. It will require people to have enough time and aptitude to start realising what kind of a society is actually worth working towards and much more to have enough people act on it.