[German]The countdown from when the USB-C port becomes mandatory in European Union for mobile devices as a charging port has begun. The EU has set December 28, 2024 as the start date from which this obligation will apply. This implements a decision by the EU Parliament in October 2022 to introduce the USB-C interface as a common charging port for a wide range of electronic devices.
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I had reported in the blog post EU Parliament votes for USB-C as a standard charging cable about the decision of the EU Parliament. This had agreed on October 4, 2022 with an overwhelming majority that the USB-C interface will be introduced as a common charging port for a wide range of electronic devices.
USB-C interface smartphone, source: own photo
Was a very long road that started over a decade ago (see my blog post USB-C as a uniform standard for charging cable is coming in Europe). Till now it was only known, tha from 2024, all cell phones, tablets and cameras sold in the EU would have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port. The new regulations apply to different electronic devices, according to the EU:
- Cell phones
- Tablets and e-readers
- Digital cameras and video game consoles
- Headphones, earbuds and portable speakers
- wireless mice and keyboards
- portable navigation systems
In addition, the new rules will also apply to all portable computers 40 months after the directive comes into force. This means that from spring 2026, the obligation will also be extended to laptops. This means that most devices can be charged with the same charger in the future. In a now published announcement, the obligation to equip mobile devices with a USB-C socket will come into force on December 28, 2024. It states:
"[Member States] shall apply those measures from 28. December 2024 for the categories or classes of radio equipment referred to in Part I, points 1.1 to 1.12 of Annex Ia, and from 28. April 2026 for the categories or classes of radio equipment referred to in Part I, point 1.13 of Annex Ia."
The industry is looking at Apple with bated breath, since it has been using the lighning adapter so far. But Apple has signaled that it will stick to the specification and offer iPhones with a USB-C charging interface, as The Verg reports.
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