From 28 December 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will be equipped with a standard USB Type-C charging port. The move aims to make devices easier to use, reduce e-waste and empower consumers to make more sustainable choices.
This was announced by the official account of the European Parliament on Twitter. Thanks to this, users will reuse chargers more often. This will make it possible to save up to €250 million per year. Moreover, discarded and unused chargers make up about 11,000 tons of e-waste in the EU every year.
From 28 December 2024 all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU will be equipped with a standard USB Type-C charging port, making it easier for you and better for the environment.
Read more https://t.co/6GNVrGCzBG pic.twitter.com/guiDElYify
— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) January 7, 2024
It is added that from the spring of 2026, the obligation to have a USB Type-C charging port will also be extended to laptops. Under the new rules, consumers will no longer need to buy different chargers every time they buy a new smartphone or tablet, as they will be able to use one charger for a range of gadgets.
Regardless of manufacturer, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld video game consoles and portable speakers, e-books, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, headphones and laptops that charge with a wired cable, with power up to 100 W, in the future will receive USB Type-C ports. All devices that support fast charging will have the same charging speed.
Also, the European Commission plans to harmonize the requirements for compatibility in the matter of wireless charging by the end of 2024 to avoid a negative impact on consumers and the environment. Also, this decision will make it possible to get rid of the so-called effect of technological “binding”, when the consumer becomes dependent on one producer.
Apple did not wait until the end of 2024 and decided to abandon the Lightning connector in favour of USB Type-C already in the iPhone 15 line, and later released an updated Apple Pencil. Now, the company is expected to make the change to its Mac accessories as well early this year.
We will remind you that we recently wrote that the European Union intends to revise the law on cookies.
Read also:
- Apple may switch its Mac accessories to USB-C in early 2024
- USB-C connectors will be mandatory for smartphones in the EU by 2024