Going back a couple of years to 2020, European Union (EU) consumers purchased about 420 million electronic devices. They used an average of three chargers for their various devices. But many of them reported difficulties charging these devices because it was difficult to find a compatible charger.
In an effort to address this, the EU began working on a proposal for a common charger. On June 7, 2022 the European Council and the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the common charger directive, which was endorsed by EU member states' representatives on June 29.
On Monday, Oct. 24 the Council approved the European Parliament's position and the legislation was adopted.
"We all have at least three mobile phone chargers at home. Looking for the right charger, either at home or at work, can be quite annoying," said Jozef Síkela, Minister for Industry and Trade. "On top of this, these chargers amount to 11.000 tonnes (24,251 pounds) of e-waste every year. Having a charger that fits multiple devices will save money and time and also helps us reduce electronic waste."
Apple Says it Will Comply
The new rules will make a USB-C charging port mandatory for a whole range of electronic devices. This will mean that most devices can be charged using the same charger.
"Obviously, we'll have to comply. We have no choice," Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing Greg Joswiak said, according to Eurogamer.
While Joswiak said Apple will acquiesce to the European law, he didn't seem entirely happy about it.
"I don't mind governments telling us what they want to accomplish," Joswiak explained. "But usually, we've got some pretty smart engineers to figure out the best ways to accomplish them."
In a little more than two years, the new laws will take effect.
After the President of the European Parliament and the President of the Council add their signatures to the legislative act, it will be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.
After publication, the requirement "will enter into force 20 days after publication," the Council said in a press release. "The new rules will start to apply 24 months after the entry into force."
