All mobile phones, tablets, earphones and a wide range of other portable consumer electronics will need to be sold with USB-C charging ports from Saturday, the EU has announced.
First introduced around a decade ago, USB-C charging ports are reversible and capable of accelerated data transfer and charging speeds, the latter known as ‘fast charging’.
In a statement on Friday, the European Parliament said that as of the following day, all such devices sold in the EU must have a USB-C charging port, with laptops set to follow suit in late April 2026.
Manufacturers will also need to give consumers the option of opting out of receiving a new charger when purchasing a device, while fast charging speeds will also be standardised, the EU said.
Meanwhile, information about charging characteristics and what is included in a consumer’s purchase will need to be clearly displayed on packaging of items.
The change in rules has been almost three years in the making, after first being put back on the agenda by Maltese MEP Alex Agius Saliba in early 2022 following an earlier unsuccessful bid by the EU to standardise charging ports back in 2009.
Speaking at a plenary session of the European Parliament in October 2022, when the law to standardise charging ports passed with overwhelming support, Agius Saliba said it would “help environmental sustainability… and give businesses and consumers a better deal”.
The EU estimates that around 420 million portable electronic devices were sold within its borders in 2020 and cites research finding that around 11,000 tonnes worth of chargers are disposed of every year.
Almost 40% of consumers say that they have been unable to charge their devices at least once in the past because chargers available were not compatible with their device.
Announcing the change Friday, Internal Market Committee chair Anna Cavazzini called it a “decisive step towards consumer convenience and environmental responsibility.”
“These rules are about tackling the tonnes of waste generated by discarded chargers each year and saving an estimated €250 million for EU households by eliminating unnecessary charger purchases each year,” Cavazzini said in a statement.
The new rules will apply to all new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, handheld videogame consoles and portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds sold in the EU.
The issue of charging ports has seen the EU at loggerheads with big tech companies such as Apple, which had previously resisted the move, favouring instead its proprietary ‘Lightning’ connection.
In recent years, the tech giant has moved to USB-C on a range of its products including smartphones and laptops, however, unveiling its first iPhone model to use the port in September last year.
In March last year, Apple hit the headlines on the same topic when rumours emerged it was planning to restrict charging and data transfer speeds when using third-party USB-C cables.