the European Union imposes a universal charger for laptops

Smartphone chargers were multiplying, until now, depending on the model. The European Union decided on Tuesday, June 7, to require manufacturers to harmonize connectors with a universal charger. The project was launched in 2009, when around thirty different chargers were available on the market. Some manufacturers, like Apple, refused the universal charger.

The new regulations propose that all smartphones be equipped with a USB-C port, which would save up to 250 million euros per year. This law will also make it possible to fight against planned obsolescence. Accumulated Chargers are a major source of electronic waste. “It is estimated that for smartphones, it is 11,000 to 13,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year”, according to Ronan Groussier, head of public affairs at the Halte à l’obsolescence programme. The measure will come into effect in the fall of 2024.