EU Approves Common Charger for Electronic Devices by Fall 2024
The European Union Council has issued a final approval on a mandatory USB-C common charger for electronic devices by early 2024.
According to the European Parliament, all mobile phones, tablets, game consoles, digital cameras, headphones and loudspeakers, wireless mice and keyboards, sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a common charger.
These rules will take action 24 months after entering into force, with laptops also joining the game in Spring 2026.
“Having a charger that fits multiple devices will save money and time and also helps us reduce electronic waste,” Czech Industry Minister Jozef Síkela said. He added that e-waste due to chargers currently amounts to 11,000 metric tons a year, according to Politico.
European Parliament lawmakers already gave the green light on the decision in early October. The next steps for the bill are to be signed by Parliament President Roberta Metsola and a representative of the Council of the EU, currently held by the Czech Republic.
Once these steps are completed, it is to be published in the EU’s Official Journal, kickstarting 20 days after publication.
According to a press release from the council, EU consumers purchased about 420 million electronic devices in 2020. On average, they own three chargers per device while only using two of them. Despite the excess of chargers, about 38% of consumers still have issues charging their devices.
