BRUSSELS: European Union (EU) rules requiring all new smartphones, tablets and cameras to use the same charger came into force on Saturday, in a change Brussels says will cut costs and waste.
Manufacturers are now obliged to fit devices sold in the 27-nation bloc with a USB-C, the port chosen by the EU as the common standard for charging electronic tools.
“Starting today, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, speakers, keyboards and many other electronics sold in the EU will have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port,” the EU Parliament wrote on social media X.
The EU has said the single charger rule will simplify the life of Europeans and slash costs for consumers.
By allowing consumers to purchase a new device without a new charger, it will also reduce the mountain of obsolete chargers, the bloc has argued.
The law was first approved in 2022 following a tussle with US tech giant Apple. It allowed companies until Dec 28 this year to adapt.
Makers of laptops will have extra time, from early 2026, to also follow suit.
Most devices already use these cables, but Apple was more than a little reluctant at first.
The firm said in 2021 that such regulation “stifles innovation”, but by September last year it had begun shipping phones with the new port.
USB-C ports can charge at up to 100 watts, transfer data up to 40 gigabits per second, and can serve to hook up to external displays.
At the time of its approval, the commission said the law was expected to save at least €200mil per year and cut more than a thousand tonnes of EU electronic waste every year. — AFP
