For years, the EU Commission has been pursuing the goal of getting manufacturers of smartphones and tablets to rely on a uniform standard for charging cables. Now it is getting concrete, because today the draft law was presented, which is supposed to oblige manufacturers to use the USB-C connector.
USB-C as standard for charging cables
“USB-C should become the standard connection for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and portable video game consoles,” says the EU Commission's official press release. According to the formulated regulations, the USB-C plug type should be used by all manufacturers so that consumers can charge every device with the same charger. However, before the planned law can come into force within the framework of the revised Radio Equipment Directive, the EU Parliament and the Council of Ministers must approve. If this happens, manufacturers are granted a transition period of 24 months for adaptation.
It is also proposed to decouple the sale of devices and chargers. The bundled sale of a device with the associated charger is not yet prohibited.
power supplies are still left out
For the time being, the EU template only affects the connection type on the device. The standardization on the part of the power supply unit, i.e. at the other end of the charging cable, will, however, only “be the subject of a review of the Commission's Ecodesign Regulation”, which is to be introduced in the course of the year.
Save costs, nerves and resources
The aim of the campaign is, among other things, to make everyday digital life easier for users. Instead of various different cables and plugs, only the USB-C connection, which is already used in many smartphones, should be used. The standardization should also reduce resources and costs: per year 980 tons of electronic waste and consumer spending of 250 million euros could be saved, according to media reports in advance.
The EU draft law covers the following points:
- A harmonized charging connection for electronic devices: USB-C is introduced as a uniform connection. This allows consumers to charge their devices with the same USB-C charger regardless of device brand.
- The harmonized fast charging technology helps ensure that the individual manufacturers do not limit the charging speed unjustifiably and that the charging speed is identical when using a compatible charger.
- The unbundling of the sale of chargers and electronic devices: Consumers can purchase a new electronic device without a new charger. This will reduce the number of accidentally acquired or unused chargers. If fewer new chargers are produced and disposed of, the amount of electronic waste will drop by almost a thousand tons per year.
- Improved consumer information: Manufacturers are obliged to provide relevant information about the charging capacity, such as the capacity required by the device, and to provide information on whether fast charging is supported. This enables consumers to better understand whether their previous chargers meet the requirements of their new device or whether it is easier to choose a compatible charger. In conjunction with the other measures, this would help reduce the number of new chargers being bought and save consumers EUR 250 million a year on unnecessarily purchased chargers.
The long war for uniform chargers
The EU's struggle for a uniform standard for charging cell phones has been going on for longer than a decade. After all, through initially voluntary agreements with the industry, the number of connection types has been reduced from the original 30 to three: USB-C, micro-USB and the Lightning connector that is only used by Apple. However, Apple wants to adhere to the latter and even sees a uniform standard as a hindrance to innovation. The planned EU law is therefore likely to annoy Apple in particular.