The European Union is moving forward to require new mobile devices put on the EU market to include a USB-C charging port by the end of 2024. On October 4, 2022 the European Parliament approved a new law to harmonize chargers for portable devices in an effort to ” reduce e-waste” and “empower consumers to make more sustainable choices”.
The Directive now goes to the European Council for approval before it is published in the EU Official Journal, it will enter into force 20 days after publication. Member states will have a 12 month transposition period, followed by an additional 12 month period to apply the new rules. The new rules will not apply to products placed on the market prior to the date these rules are applied.
The rules will apply to equipment that is rechargeable via a wired cable including the following:
- Mobile Phones
- Tablets
- Digital Cameras
- Headphones
- Earbuds
- Portable speakers
- Handheld Video Game Consoles
- Keyboards
- Mice
- E-Readers
- Laptops (from Spring 2026)
The Parliaments announcement says “As wireless charging becomes more prevalent, the European Commission will have to harmonise interoperability requirements by the end of 2024, to avoid having a negative impact on consumers and the environment. This will also get rid of the so-called technological “lock-in” effect, whereby a consumer becomes dependent on a single manufacturer.”
For more information, please contact iCertifi.
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European Union - Directive (EU) 2022/2380 on Common Charger Published in Official Journal - iCertifi December 14, 2022 at 11:46 am
[…] Directive introduces requirements for the Common Charger solution and seeks to harmonize the charging interface for mobile phones and similar categories or […]