Thursday, March 28

The European Union takes another step towards the single charger: Parliament has just set its favorable position


The European Union’s proposal to adopt a single charger for our smartphones and other electronic devices is getting closer to becoming a reality. This Wednesday, the Consumer Protection and Internal Market Committee of the European Parliament adopted a position favorable to the initiative, the starting point before the draft of the law is redrafted.

This is a preliminary step, but essential, so that the project is agreed by all parliamentary groups over the coming months. Afterwards, MEPs will be able to start talks with the governments of the EU member countries to define the final form of the single charger legislation.

Path to single charger

With future legislation, the EU wants users let’s not need a new charger and cable, every time we buy new devices. Categories include mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headsets, handheld game consoles and portable speakers.

All these devices must have a USB-C port. The truth is that some manufacturers have already begun to adopt this type of port in their devices, even before the new legislation is approved. This is the case of Android phones. Apple, for its part, has been very reluctant to the idea.

The iPhone, iPads and other products of the apple company incorporate the proprietary Lightning port, exclusive to the brand. Apple has said that the EU’s proposal to adopt a single charger would hurt innovation and it would create a lot of waste if consumers were forced to switch chargers.

The European Parliament does not think the same. He assures that his proposal is part of a larger effort to advance in the sustainability of products, in particular in the electronics market, reducing the number of technological waste generated within the common market.

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“With half a billion portable device chargers shipped to Europe each year, generating between 11,000 and 13,000 tons of electronic wastea single charger for mobile phones and other small and medium-sized electronic devices would benefit everyone”, said Alex Agius Saliba, Member of the European Parliament for Spain.

But it is not only about establishing a single charger, the EU proposal also seeks to “prevent different manufacturers from unjustifiably limiting the charging speed and will help ensure that the charging speed is the same when using a compatible charger for a device”.

One USB-C port to rule them all: the European Union approves the proposal for the single charger in mobile phones and other devices

In short, the project still has a long way to go. Now that the Committee has set Parliament’s negotiating position, MEPs will have to agree with EU member states on the final form of the legislation. The idea of ​​​​the single charger, which has been around for years, seems to be on the way, but we still have to wait a little longer.

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