It’s official, the European Union will impose a single charger for smartphones by 2024. The 27 and MEPs agreed on the measure on Tuesday. Concretely, manufacturers will have to equip smartphones, tablets, consoles and digital cameras with a universal charger by autumn 2024, regardless of the make and model of the product. This will subsequently concern laptops, within 40 months of the entry into force of the text, announced the European Parliament.
Generalization of the USB-C port
This regulation, which will impose a USB-C port on all small and medium-sized electronic devices, aims to limit waste that is harmful to the environment. The charging speed will also be harmonized for devices allowing fast charging.
The goal is for ecological purposes and for economic reasons for consumers. Discarded and unused chargers represent approximately 11,000 tons of electronic waste per year. A means also, according to the EU, of defend consumer rights, forced to accumulate incompatible chargers for their various devices. The American giant Apple, which defends its Lightning charging technology, fiercely opposed it. The measure will save consumers up to €250 million a year on unnecessary purchases of chargers, according to Parliament.