By Thea Pieridou
Press Officer of the European Parliament Office in Cyprus
By the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will have to have a USB-C charging port. The new law was adopted by the European Parliament's plenary on 4 October by 602 votes in favour, 13 against and 8 abstentions. It is part of a wider EU effort to reduce e-waste and encourage consumers to make more sustainable choices.
84% of consumers have experienced problems with mobile phone chargers over the past two years, according to a recent survey by the European Commission. The existence of different chargers for different devices afflicts consumers and produces tons of unnecessary electronic waste.
What will change?
Which devices are concerned by the legislation:
The legislation covers mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, portable video game consoles and portable speakers, electronic readers, keyboards, mice, headphones and portable navigation devices. By the end of 2024, all such mobile devices sold in the EU will have to have a USB-C charging port. These ports will also become mandatory for laptops in the spring of 2026.
Adaptation to new technologies
The EU will monitor technological developments to ensure that all manufacturers use the same chargers in all their product lines. The EU will be able to broaden the scope of the legislation, in particular as regards wireless charging solutions.
Separation of devices from chargers
Under the new law, consumers will be able to buy a new device with or without a charger.
History
The European Parliament has been advocating the introduction of a common mobile charger for more than 10 years. Although some companies have initiated policies that have reduced the types of chargers, these have proved insufficient to achieve the EU's e-waste reduction targets. The European Commission presented its proposal in September 2021. Parliament and EU countries reached a provisional agreement on the legislation on 7 June 2022. Parliament formally approved the agreement on 4 October. The Council will now have to formally adopt the directive.
