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EU approves common charger for all devices from autumn 2024 to cut e-waste
Consumers in Spain will be able to use a single charger to power almost all portable electronic devices
In a bid to cut e-waste and ease user experiences, all phones and electronic devices sold in the European Union from autumn 2024, regardless of the make, will have a common USB-C charger.
The charger is already used in many new smartphones but the scope will be extended to include tablets, digital phones, headphones, game consoles, e-readers and headphones following an agreement reached by MEPs on Tuesday June 7.
The move will allow consumers to buy new devices without having to purchase an additional charger, although laptops and smartwatches will have another 40 months to comply with the new rule for "technical reasons".
"These new obligations will lead to more re-use of chargers and will help consumers save up to 250 million euro a year on unnecessary charger purchases," said the EU in a statement.
We have a deal on the common charger! 🇪🇺
— European Commission 🇪🇺 (@EU_Commission) June 7, 2022
This means more savings for EU consumers and less waste for the planet:
🔌 mobile phones, tablets, cameras… will all use USB type C
🔌 harmonised fast-charging technology
🔌 unbundling of sale of chargers #SingleMarket #DigitalEU pic.twitter.com/qw2cJV4RY0
The European Commission has been pushing for this agreement for 13 years.
In 2009, it reached a voluntary agreement with major device manufacturers to reduce the number of existing chargers from 30 to three: USB 2.0 Micro B, USB-C and Apple's proprietary Lightning.
But that pact expired in 2014 and last September the EU executive launched a new proposal that has finality come to fruition this week.
A recent study estimated that the world's mountain of discarded electronics, for 2021 alone, weighed a staggering 57 million tonnes.
Image: European Commission
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