No more tangled cables: in future there will be a standard charging socket for numerous devices in the EU. Until recently, there was a struggle about which devices should be specifically affected in addition to cell phones.
Mobile phones and numerous other electronic devices must have a standard charging socket in the EU from mid-2024. Negotiators from the EU states and the European Parliament agreed on USB-C as the standard charging socket, as the head of the negotiations, Anna Cavazzini (Greens), said in Strasbourg. Now here’s what you need to know about the unified USB-C connectors.
Which devices are affected?
According to Cavazzini, the regulation applies to smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones and portable speakers, for example, which are to work uniformly with USB-C in the future. The French Council Presidency also confirmed an agreement.
In addition, Parliament was able to get through the negotiations that, for example, laptops, e-readers, keyboards and computer mice, sat navs, smart watches and electronic toys are also included, as long as the devices are large enough for a corresponding connection. However, there is a longer transition period for laptops. It will also be possible in the future to buy the device and charger as well as the charging cable separately.
The new law will only apply from mid-2024
The EU states, on the other hand, have achieved in the negotiations that the new law for uniform USB-C connections will only apply from mid-2024. Parliament wanted the rules to come into force earlier. Both the EU countries and the European Parliament still have to formally agree to the agreement. But that is considered a formality.
The Association of Municipal Enterprises (VKU) welcomed the result of the negotiations: “The best waste is still that which is not created in the first place.” The project spares resources and consumers’ nerves, said a spokesman. The companies organized in the VKU are responsible for waste disposal, among other things.
Long struggle for uniform USB-C connections
Legal requirements for charging cables have been the subject of debate for a long time. More than ten years ago, the commission brought the charging cable issue up for the first time. 14 manufacturers – the most well-known of which is Apple – have agreed to a uniform standard for mobile phone power supplies in a voluntary commitment. When it comes to the sockets in smartphones and tablet computers, there are only three of the dozen types left: USB-C, Apple’s Lightning connector and micro-USB.
According to the EU Commission, the regulation could save almost 1000 tons of electronic waste. Currently, an estimated 11,000 tons of electronic waste is generated annually from discarded and unused chargers. However, critics fear that the EU approach could come to nothing, since old chargers can no longer be used and USB-C has become the standard for electronic devices more and more in the past.