In a bid to make the tech industry more environmentally friendly and make life easier for consumers, the EU officially published its new rules for chargers and connectors on Thursday. These rules will therefore enter into force before the end of the year. This means that by the end of 2024, all mobile devices sold in the EU will be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port, including Apple devices.
Under the common charger rules, all small and medium-sized devices, such as smartphones, tablets, speakers and cameras, will require the same charger and connectivity, making it easier to find the good cable and reduce the number of chargers you have to buy and carry. From spring 2026, this requirement will also apply to laptops.
The European Union has been concerned about this issue for ten years, to reduce electronic waste and impose more sustainable practices. The long-awaited Chargers Act was first approved in October, but was officially published in the Official Journal of the EU this week, enabling its effective implementation.
“We have been waiting for these rules for more than 10 years”
“We have been waiting for these rules for more than 10 years, but we can finally put the current plethora of chargers aside,” said Parliament rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba. “This future-proof law enables the development of innovative charging solutions, and this will benefit everyone – from frustrated consumers to the environment. »
Many manufacturers like Samsung and Google have already switched to making devices with USB-C charging ports. However, manufacturers that haven’t — like Apple, which has its proprietary Lightning port — will be forced to meet the new requirements, since the law will apply to all manufacturers without exception.
Apple’s senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak, told the wall street journal that the company would comply with the law, although “we believe the approach would have been better for the environment and for our customers if the government had not been so prescriptive”.
The implementation of this policy will save consumers 250 million euros per year. It will also contribute to reducing the 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste produced per year in the EU.
Source: ZDNet.com