The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee of the European Parliament endorsed a proposal on Wednesday requiring the same type of charger for all portable electronic gadgets sold in the EU.
According to a press release, the proposal would ensure that customers do not have to buy “a new charger and cable every time they purchase a new device” and that they may use a single charger for all of their small and medium-sized electronic devices from the European Parliament.
Moreover, under the new rules mentioned in the draft, the USB-C type charger would become the standard equipment for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, and handheld gaming consoles.
The legislation would mark a significant change for Apple, which, despite EU pressure, has persisted on its own charging port for iPhones.
“With half a billion portable device chargers shipped in Europe every year, generating 11,000 to 13,000 tonnes of e-waste, a single charger for cell phones and other small and medium electronic devices would benefit everyone,” said the file’s rapporteur, Maltese EU legislator Alex Agius Saliba.
The decision follows the European Commission’s legislative proposal from September and sets the European Parliament’s stance, which EU legislators will represent during discussions with EU member states.
After the European Parliament’s plenary session officially adopts the position in May, the discussions will begin.
If the ordinance is adopted, the new rules will be implemented by 2026.
According to the European Commission’s estimations, the change will save European consumers €250 million ($271 million) every year by stopping them from purchasing unnecessary equipment, and it will also help to reduce e-waste.
In 2020, more than 420 million smartphones and other electronic portable gadgets were sold in the EU bloc.
