From tomorrow, all new phones, speakers, cameras and other electronic devices sold in Europe must use the same charger: USB-C
The European law on common chargers comes into force tomorrow, 28 December.
Many electrics companies have already shifted to the common format. Even Apple has dropped its thunderbolt connector in favour of USB.
The law covers a range of gadgets including mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld game consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards and mice.
From the end of April 2026, the rule will also be extended to cover laptops.
The Chair of the European Parliament’s Consumer Protection Committee, Anna Cavazzini, said switching to a single type of charger is good for consumers and the environment.
“There is no longer a need for three different charging cables for mobile phones, e-readers and headphones. At the same time, less cable clutter in the technology drawer means, above all, massively less resource consumption in the EU.”
Some other countries outside the EU have followed suit with similar laws.
Many manufacturers are expect to switch to USB-C globally to avoid the expense of producing multiple different versions of the same product.
Anna Cavazzini says the European Parliament has been pushing for a universal charger for decades. She says USB-C is “becoming a global standard.”
The European Commission will monitor the roll out success rate of the single charger rule. The EU is also expected to study the development wireless charging with a view to agreeing a common standard.