The EU has agreed on a target date of Autumn 2024 for the USB-C to become the common charger for mobile phones, tablets and cameras across the bloc, in a bid to reduce electronic waste.
USB-C. Credit: Denys Vitali / Pixabay / CC0
If the Directive is approved, the USB-C will be the common charger for all devices across the EU. Credit: Denys Vitali / Pixabay / CC0
The practice of including chargers with every new device has long been a source of frustration across the EU, which is looking to cut waste and its environmental impact. The agreement, made between the European Parliament and EU Council, would see the establishment of one single charging solution for all small and medium-sized portable electronic devices.
Regardless of the manufacturer, all mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers that are rechargeable via a wired cable will have to be equipped with a USB-C port.
There is also a 40-month window after the common charger comes into force allowing for laptops to be adapted to the new requirements.
Read more: RSC launches recycling campaign as e-waste piles up
The proposal also requires that charging speed be harmonised for devices that support fast charging, which means that consumers will charge their electronics at the same speed regardless of the individual charger.
According to a 2019 study by the European Commission, 84% of consumers had experienced phone charger-related problems in the previous two years.
The proposed directive would also require that clear information is available to consumers on the charging capabilities of new devices, and buyers will be given the choice of purchasing new electronics with or without a charger.
It is expected that the measures would encourage the reuse of existing chargers, saving consumers as much as €250 million a year, according to EU figures.
The bloc estimates that around 11,000 tonnes of unused and old chargers are thrown away annually.
There are also provisions allowing the Commission to adapt the directive's scope as new technologies arrive on the market, particularly for wireless charging.
Read more: Brussels proposes mandatory USB-C chargers for all smart devices
The measures must still be formally approved by both the Parliament and the Council, something not expected to happen until after the summer recess. Assuming it goes through, the provisions will apply after 24 months, and would not apply retroactively.
The EU Parliament has been pushing the issue of a common charger for over a decade, and while some companies did introduce voluntary measures, the EU says that they were not enough to meet its targets on e-waste reduction.
The proposal was first presented by the Commission in September 2021.
Back to Homepage
Back to Consumer Goods