Read time: 1 min
In 2024, the USB-C charger will become the common charger for commonly used electronics in the EU such as smartphones, tablets, e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers and portable navigation devices. The same requirement will also become applicable to laptops in 2026.
After a one-year negotiation process between the three EU institutions, the legislative proposal was met with strong approval from the European Parliament, with 602 voting in favour and only 13 voting against. This initiative is widely seen as an effective way to both reduce e-waste and empower consumers.
The legislative proposal approved by the European Parliament uses as reference the USB-C charger definition contained in European Standard series EN IEC 62680-1 'Universal serial bus interfaces for data and power – Part 1', adopted by CENELEC. This reference shows the crucial role standards play in supporting sustainable charging solutions in Europe, now and in the future.
"The common charger will finally become a reality in Europe," Alex Agius Saliba, the MEP who took the lead on the legislation in the European Parliament, said on Tuesday. "We have waited more than ten years for these rules, but we can finally leave the current plethora of chargers in the past.