EU Agrees on Common Charger Standard For Mobile Devices to Decrease Environmental Pollution
Strasbourg – The European Parliament committee announced on Wednesday that it has endorsed a proposal on designating USB Type-C as a common charger for portable electronic devices, aiming to decrease environmental pollution.
“MEPs support a common charger for portable electronic devices, reducing e-waste and making the use of different mobile phones, tablets and digital cameras more convenient,” the statement read.
“On Wednesday, the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee adopted its position on the revised Radio Equipment Directive with 43 votes in favour (2 against),” the statement further detailed.
The new regulation falls within a greater effort by the European Union “to address product sustainability, in particular of electronics on the EU market, and to reduce electronic waste,” the statement noted.
“With half a billion chargers for portable devices shipped in Europe each year, generating 11,000 to 13,000 tonnes of e-waste, a single charger for mobile phones and other small and medium electronic devices would benefit everyone,” EU lawmaker Alex Agius Saliba said.
“It will help the environment, further help the re-use of old electronics, save money, and reduce unnecessary costs and inconvenience for both businesses and consumers,” Alex Agius Saliba added.
The common charger standard will apply to all types of electronic devices charged by a wired cable, including mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, and alike.
All devices will have to be fitted with a USB Type-C port, irrespective of manufacturer, except for those devices that are too small to have such a port, namely smart watches, according to the statement.
Following committee approval, the new regulation should be endorsed by the entire European Parliament at the plenary session, which will be held in May. After that, the talks with the EU national governments will be initiated to finalize the legislation, according to the same source.
