EU: common charger for all portable devices

On December 28, new legislation comes into force in the European Union: a single charger is used for all mobile devices.

Now consumers are EU will be able to have a universal solution for charging their devices. According to the new rules, writes CNN Greece, all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, portable game consoles and speakers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and other similar devices sold in the European Union must have USB Type-C charging port. From April 28, 2026, this requirement will also apply to laptops.

The Directive harmonizes the requirements for fast charging and gives consumers the option of not having to purchase a charger for every device. Manufacturers are required to update their packaging to clearly display information about charging features and what is included in each purchase.

The President of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee, Anna Cavazzini of the European Parliament, stressed that this event is “a decisive step towards consumer service and environmental responsibility”:

“The new rules offer benefits for everyone – from reducing waste to the environment to helping households clear cupboard drawers and bedside tables of incompatible or unused chargers. These rules aim to tackle the tonnes of waste generated every year from discarded chargers and save EU households around €250 million by eliminating unnecessary charger purchases each year.”

The Green MEP states that “countries outside the EU are joining our approach, proving that Parliament's decade-long push for a universal charger is becoming a global standard.”

The talk about standardizing ports has been going on in Europe for a long time. Regulators believe this will help significantly reduce e-waste. The strongest opposition to this initiative was the American Apple, whose iPhone chargers are more expensive than most Type-C chargers.

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