First modification: 07/06/2022 – 13:31
The countries of the European Union (EU) and the negotiators of the European Parliament announced on Tuesday an agreement to impose a charger unique and universal for smartphones, tablets and portable devices no later than the fall of 2024.
The regulations will impose a USB-C port for all these devices with the aim of limiting the toxic waste of thousands and thousands of cables of various formats, and defending the right of consumers, forced for now to accumulate various chargers.
The project had faced fierce opposition from tech giant Apple, which defends its Lightning connection and charging technology.
The European Commissioner for Industry, Thierry Breton, welcomed the agreement and mentioned on Twitter that “the general interest of the European Union has prevailed.”
The agreement means “more savings for EU consumers and less waste for the planet”.
In a press release, the European Parliament noted that the project “is part of a broader EU effort to make products in the EU more sustainable, reduce electronic waste and make life easier for consumers.”
Thus, “consumers will no longer need a different device and charging cable every time they buy a new device, and will be able to use one charger for all their small and medium portable electronic devices,” the note added.
Parliament also highlighted that the charging speed will be “harmonized for devices that support fast charging, allowing users to charge their devices at the same speed with any compatible charger”.