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The European Union has mandated USB-C to be the standard EU charging port by Autumn of 2024. This includes small to medium sized portable electronic devices such as Mobile phones, tablets,digital cameras, headphones and consoles. Laptops will also be subject to this regulation 40 months after it comes in force.
This deal is the result of long-standing calls for the standardization of charging cables to improve consumer’s lives and reduce electronic waste. The EU hopes that this will lead to more chargers being reused.
The Parliament’s rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba (S&D, MT) has the following to say:
Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe! European consumers were frustrated long with multiple chargers piling up with every new device. Now they will be able to use a single charger for all their portable electronics. We are proud that laptops, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, computer mice, and portable navigation devices are also included in addition to smartphones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers. We have also added provisions on wireless charging being the next evolution in the charging technology and improved information and labelling for consumers
