EU OKs Common Charger for All Mobile Devices

New mobile devices sold in the EU must have common chargers by the end of 2024, with laptops requiring the same USB Type-C charging port by 2026, after the European Parliament approved the proposal Tuesday. The measure covers mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds. Laptops rechargeable via wired cable, with a power delivery of up to 100 watts, will also have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port. The law is part of an EU effort to cut waste and help consumers make sustainable choices, parliament said. EU lawmakers voted to broaden the scope of the original European Commission proposal (see 2201260044) by including more devices, and to ensure the same rule applies to future wireless technologies, said rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba (of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and Malta) at a briefing. By 2024, the EC must harmonize interoperability requirements for wireless technology standards to prevent companies from continuing to sell their proprietary technology: "Proprietary solutions will be a thing of the past." The rules will apply to all non-EU companies seeking to sell products within the EU single market. The law isn't retrospective, and older chargers will be phased out, he said. The measure is likely to have ramifications outside the EU because it makes no sense for producers to make chargers solely for European markets, he said. The law is expected to save buyers up to 250 million euros ($248 million) a year on unnecessary charger purchases and cut down on the 11,000 tons of e-waste generated by disposed-of and unused chargers annually, parliament said. The rule now needs formal approval from EU governments.