In order to reduce e-waste and ease user experiences, all phones and electronic devices sold in the European Union from Autumn 2024, no matter what brand, will have a common USB-C charger, EU lawmakers have decided.
The deadline will apply to smartphones, as well as tablets, digital cameras, headphones, handheld video game consoles and e-readers. However, laptops will have 40 extra months to comply with the new rule, as they tend to require more power and use a wider variety of chargers.
The legislation has been under development for more than a decade, but an agreement on its scope was only reached on Tuesday, following negotiations between different EU bodies. The legislation also includes provisions designed to address wireless chargers in the future, as well as harmonising fast-charging standards.
“Today we have made the common charger a reality in Europe!” said the European Parliament’s rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba in a press statement. “European...