EU pushes for USB-C to be standard for all smartphone chargers

According to the latest report, the EU officials voted to support a long-planned proposal to require Apple and all technology companies to adopt USB-C as a universal charger and add new requirements for the wireless charging standard.

For more than a decade, the European Union has been urging manufacturers to use the same chargers for their smartphones and other devices. The EU’s plan to formally introduce the new legislation was passed in January 2022 but needs further support.

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The MEP (Members of the European Parliament) of the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection now voted 43 to 2 in favor of these proposals, with significant improvements.

The newly revised proposal includes a call for “interoperability of wireless charging technology by 2026,” according to an EU press release. It’s unclear what the proposals specifically address wireless charging. The Qi standard has effectively been generalized and supported in a wide range of products.

According to the EU’s Alex Agius Saliba: “5 billion portable device chargers are shipped each year in Europe, generating 11,000 to 13,000 tons of e-waste, one for mobile phones and other Chargers for small and medium-sized electronic devices will benefit everyone.” “It will help protect the environment, further aid the reuse of old electronics, save money, and reduce unnecessary costs and inconveniences for businesses and consumers.”

The revised proposal includes requests to improve operations with “private labels.” What’s more, the EU now wants the universal charger and wireless charging requirements to apply to more devices, including laptops and other electronics. Apple has previously opposed the EU’s plan to require universal chargers.

In 2020, Apple said: “We believe that regulations mandating consistency of connector types built into all smartphones will stifle rather than encourage innovation and will harm consumers and the economy in Europe. We hope that the European Commission will continue to seek a solution that doesn’t limit the industry’s ability to innovate and bring exciting new technology to customers.”

A new vote approved these amendments to the existing proposal, and the entire package must now go to a plenary vote in the European Parliament in May 2022. The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Commission has since said it will be “ready to start negotiations with the EU on the final form of government-to-legislation.”

Moreover, no legislation will be finalized until the instruments are finalized and legal challenges are completed. Implementation could take years. The European Union has implemented micro USB as a standard after the introduction of USB-C to the market.

(via)