The EU's Common Charger

🌱 What is the EU’s aim?

As the previous voluntary approach did not have the effect the EU had hoped for, the Commission created new legislation on chargers last year. The resulting law, which was published in the EU’s Official Journal on 7 December 2022, mandates the use of a “common charger” for all portable electronic devices in the EU. Its aim is to “improve consumers’ convenience, [and] reduce the environmental footprint associated with the production and disposal of chargers, while maintaining innovation” and “avoiding market fragmentation”.

🌱 What does the directive entail?

Directive (EU) 2022/2380 mandates that USB-C be used as a common port for all electronic devices in the EU – meaning that consumers can “charge their devices with any USB-C charger, regardless of the device brand”. Through the harmonization, the EU also plans to “prevent different producers from unjustifiably limiting charging speed”. Thereby, the directive will “help to ensure that charging speed is the same when using any compatible charger for a device”.

🌱 How will the directive reduce e-waste?

Under the rules, consumers in the EU “will be able to purchase a new electronic device without a new charger”. The aim of this is to “limit the number of chargers on the market” as well as those “left unused”. According to the EU, “[r]educing production and disposal of new chargers is estimated to reduce [e-waste] by 980 tonnes yearly”. Manufacturers will also be required to provide consumers with “relevant visual and written information about charging characteristics, including information on the power the device requires and whether it supports fast charging”. The aim of this is to “help consumers understand if their existing chargers meet their new device’s requirements and/or help them select a compatible charger”. According to the EU, this – in combination with the other foreseen measures – will help consumers reduce the number of new chargers they buy and “save [consumers] at least €250 million a year on unnecessary charger purchases”.

🌱 When and for which devices will the rules apply?

The new rules “will apply to all handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, portable speakers, handheld videogame consoles, e-readers, earbuds, keyboards, mice, and portable navigation systems as of 2024” and “to laptops as of 2026”. Through a set of transition periods, the EU will however give industry actors additional time to adapt to the new requirements. The Commission has said that it will also “review [additional] categories of radio equipment that can accommodate the ‘common charging’ requirements by three years after entry-into-force of the Directive and every five years after that”.

Read more about the EU’s common charger here:

- https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/electrical-and-electronic-engineering-industries-eei/radio-equipment-directive-red/one-common-charging-solution-all_en

- https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32022L2380

- https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20220603IPR32196/deal-on-common-charger-reducing-hassle-for-consumers-and-curbing-e-waste

- https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/QANDA_21_4614

- https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_21_4613

- https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-agrees-usb-c-to-become-common-charger-for-mobile-devices-by-2024/