Europe is about to agree on a common charging standard for mobile devices

Europe believes that using a single charging standard for all portable electronic devices makes it more convenient for users and reduces waste – Photo: REUTERS

The use of a common charging port standard was promoted by the European Commission (EC) a decade ago, when many users in this region complained about having to use different types of charging cords.

In September 2021, the European Union (EU) proposed to the smartphone industry to develop a common charging port standard for all handheld mobile devices in the region and suggested using the Type-C charging standard.

According to Reuters sources, European countries are expected to reach an agreement at a meeting early next week, on June 7. Some other issues to be discussed include extending usage requirements general charging standard even for laptops.

In addition, EU lawmakers also want to unify the wireless charging standard by 2025, but many countries and the EC want to extend the time to resolve technical issues.

This move met with opposition from Apple, which is using the lightning charging standard, unlike most other companies that use the USB-C charging standard. The US technology company believes that imposing a common standard limits innovation and forces users to change to new chargers, creating a mountain of electronic waste.

However, Mr. Thierry Breton – EU commissioner in charge of the internal market – said that European consumers will be able to use a single charging standard for all their portable electronic devices is an important step. important for greater convenience and reduced waste.

The EC said that an EU citizen usually has at least three types of mobile device chargers and regularly uses two types. However, 38% of EU residents say they are sometimes unable to charge their phones because they can’t find the right charger.

In 2020, about 420 million mobile phones or portable electronic devices were sold in the EU.

The EC’s proposal also calls for standardizing fast charging technology and giving users the choice to buy mobile devices with or without a charger.

With this proposal, the EU is estimated to save consumers around 250 million euros ($293 million) a year.