The EU Parliament has come to a preliminary agreement that stipulates that small and medium-sized electronic devices, including but not limited to smartphones, can be charged via USB-C from autumn 2024 must – regardless of the manufacturer. Many manufacturers are already using USB-C, but not yet Apple's iPhone.
The agreement stipulates that devices such as smartphones, tablets, earbuds (or their charging cases), digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld game consoles and portable speakers must be able to be charged via a standardized connection from autumn 2024, provided that the charging process is wired acts. With this standardized connection, the EU Parliament has agreed on USB-C, which numerous manufacturers of at least smartphones and tablets are already relying on. However, Apple uses its own Lightning standard for all iPhone models, only the iPad has already been switched to USB-C.
Notebooks should follow later
Notebooks are not affected by the regulation at the same time, but must also be converted to USB-C or brought onto the market no later than 40 months after the law comes into force. There are already many devices in notebooks that use USB-C, but proprietary connections are still often used because USB Type-C does not yet transmit enough electrical power. Up to 240 watts via USB Type C have only been standardized since May 2021.
Fast charging is to be standardized
The EU Parliament also wants to harmonize the charging speed for devices that support fast charging so that users can achieve the same charging speeds on any device with any charger. However, technical details are still pending.
Choice between delivery with or without power supply unit
However, the new regulation should not only enable users to charge all the product categories mentioned with a power supply unit and cable, but the law should also reduce electronic waste. In the future, consumers should be able to choose whether they want to purchase a new electronic device with or without a power supply unit. In some cases, manufacturers such as Apple and Samsung are already making this decision for their customers and supplying devices without a power supply unit and only with a cable. The European Parliament predicts that consumers can save up to 250 million euros by reusing existing power supplies. Unused power supplies accounted for around 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste in the EU in 2018.
Focus on wireless charging
With wireless charging standards supporting more and more devices, this has changed also employed by the EU Parliament. In this segment, the EU Commission wants to ensure interoperability among the various standards.
Approval planned after the summer break
The preliminary agreement announced today is a big step within the EU, but has not yet been formally implemented. After the summer break, the EU Parliament and the Council of the European Union must approve the agreement and publish it in the Official Journal of the European Union. Finally, the agreement comes into force 20 days after this publication, before 24 months later the regulations have to be complied with. The new regulation does not affect products that were put on the market before.