It took a decade, but the European Parliament voted to pass a law requiring all small and medium electronic devices sold in the EU to have a USB Type-C charging port by 2024; by 2026, the same charging rules will apply to laptops. A single charging solution is the driving force behind the Wireless Devices Directive (opens in new tab). According to a press release (opens in new tab), the law is "part of the EU's broader efforts to reduce electronic waste and enable consumers to make more sustainable choices."

Under the new directive, customers will be able to choose whether to purchase electronic devices up to 100W with or without a power adapter. This will also move companies away from designing products with proprietary chargers and charging cables that make consumers "dependent on a single manufacturer."

The directive also ensures that manufacturers "shall not unreasonably limit charging speeds and shall help ensure that charging speeds are the same when using a charger that is compatible with the device." In other words, if the device is to use a charger other than the charger provided or sold by the company, the device's charging speed cannot be slowed down.

Over the past decade, the Commission has worked with cell phone manufacturers to reduce the number of cell phone chargers from 30 to three. According to the release, unused cell phone chargers are reportedly responsible for more than 11,000 tons of electronic waste each year. The new law aims to reduce the number of people who throw away their chargers every time they buy a new device. The Commission also estimates that consumers will save €250 million per year (open in new tab) on "unnecessary charger purchases."

"We have been waiting for this rule for more than a decade, and finally we can make the current glut of chargers a thing of the past," wrote Alex Agius Saliba, rapporteur of the Parliament (open in new tab). He added: "These are difficult times for politics, but the EU has shown that it is not running out of ideas and solutions to improve the lives of millions of people in Europe and to encourage the rest of the world to follow suit.