EU Commission has announced all mobile phones will now have USB C chargers
EU Commission has announced all mobile phones will now have USB C chargers
Words: Eva O’Beirne
The European Union has agreed on new rules adopting USB-C as a common charger by 2024.
The move will help to prevent electrical waste and reduce costs for EU customers.
Announced on Tuesday by the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, the deal covers not just mobile phones and tablets but also e-readers, earbuds, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles, and portable speakers.
It would also require the unbundling (or separation) of the sale of chargers from the sale of the device. There is also harmonization of fast-charging technology as part of the deal, to further allow for charger-device compatibility.
The European Parliament and Council will have to formally approve the agreement after the summer recess before it is published in the EU Official Journal. After that, the rules will come into force 20 days later, with provisions starting to apply 24 months later again.
Devices already on the market before the date the rules are applied won’t be affected by the changes.
A USB-C iPhone is expected sometime in 2023.
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