USB-C common charger for handheld devices in the EU

The Common Charger Directive has gone into effect, meaning that all handheld products that are being sold in the EU have to support USB-C charging.

In 2020, over 420 million smartphones and other consumer electronic devices were sold in the EU. Studies showed that consumers spent approximately €2.4 billion annually on new chargers that were not included with their devices. In addition, discarded and unused chargers accounted for 11,000 tonnes of e-waste.

This situation was considered inconvenient and costly for consumers, and detrimental for the environment. The European Union called upon manufacturers to come up with a new standard themselves, but to no avail.

After months of debating, the European Parliament approved a new set of rules in 2022 to expedite the introduction of a universal charger: Directive 2022/2380, also called the ‘Common Charger Directive’.

The new Directive not only dictates mobile devices have to be equipped with a USB-C port in order to charge them. In addition to the mandatory USB-C connector, manufacturers also have to be clear to consumers whether their product is being sold with or without a charging cable. Therefore, products that include a USB-C charging cable will have an icon on the packaging.

The Directive went into effect Saturday the 28th of December. It not only includes smartphones, but also tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice and portable navigation systems.

Laptops are currently the exception to the rule. This is to give manufacturers of laptops the time needed for redesign and transition to the common charging solution. But they also have to apply to the new rules, starting April 28, 2026.

“This Directive will improve convenience for consumers – not just in Ireland but across the EU – by significantly reducing the amount they spend on chargers. This reduction in unnecessary charger purchases will also lead to an estimated 980-tonne reduction in electronic waste in the EU per year, which is in keeping with Ireland’s goals of moving to a circular economy,” Ireland’s Minister of State with special responsibility for Communications and the Circular Economy Ossian Smyth said in a statement.

Ahead of the new rules, Apple replaced its Lightning connector with a USB-C charger port on its newest iPhones and iPads last year.