It is now mandatory that all electronic devices sold in the European Union from today include the universal USB-C charger. The EU directive comes into force, culminating a long process of negotiations that has spanned more than a decade.
This is how we explained it on the TVE News:
All part of the initiatives carried out by community institutions to reduce electronic waste since 2014, when the more than 30 different types of chargers existing in the EU at that time were reduced to only three. In this way, it was intended that consumers would not have to buy new chargers every time they purchased a new electronic device, and instead could continue using the ones they already had previously.
Since then, a period of negotiations has been extended for more than 10 years. But from the first moment it was intended that, in the near future, there would be a single type of charger, which was approved in 2022 after a vote in the European Parliament. However, a period of two years was established for this provision to come into force and for manufacturers to adapt to the new standard, something that is happening now.
In which devices is USB-C mandatory?
The common USB-C port is from now on mandatory on mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, portable game consoles and portable speakers that are sold in the European Union from now on. Those devices that, due to being too small in size, cannot include this connector are outside the regulation. For example, smart watches, activity bracelets and smaller headphones.
Nor are laptops required, for the moment, for which a moratorium has been established. It will be April 28, 2026 when it will be mandatory for every laptop sold in the European Union to have a USB-C charging port.
The measure allows users to have a single charger for all the electronic devices they have in their homes, thus preventing dozens of devices that are no longer used or that are not used to charge a specific device from piling up in a drawer. From now on, they will all have to be charged via USB-C.
This represents significant savings in terms of technological waste, which the EU estimates could reach 11 billion tons of waste per year. In fact, it is estimated that each European citizen has between 4 and 5 chargers under their belt, although in reality they only use a couple of them on a regular basis.
In addition, it can also mean savings for the consumer, since they will be able to reuse their chargers without having to buy a new one. In this sense, the EU considers that consumers will stop spending 250 million euros annually on buying new chargers by having one compatible and universal for all brands.
What changes for the consumer
The reality is that little will change in the consumer’s daily life, since most of the companies that market electronic devices in Europe have already adapted to the measure, having been approved two years ago.
This means that the vast majority of products sold today already include the universal USB-C charger. What changes is that from now on, manufacturers must give the option, on a mandatory basis, to choose whether to buy a new product with or without a charger.
In this sense, they will have to change the wrapping and packaging of the products, to clearly indicate whether it includes the charger or not, and what type of charger it includes. This will mean, at least in theory, that the price will be cheaper when you purchase a device without a charger because you are going to reuse one that you already had.
In the same way, manufacturers will have to indicate if the charger includes the fast charging Power Delivery– in all products that require a voltage greater than 15 W. This protocol – PD – allows the cable to provide the device with the exact amount of energy to charge, automatically, allowing the charger to be reused in devices with different charging needs.
The only thing the consumer has to take into account is that if you purchase the electronic product in a marketplace outside the European Union (for example, through AliExpress directly to a Chinese manufacturer), even if the device is shipped to the EU, it may not include the universal USB-C charger and requires another type of charger.
