For cell phones and co.

Standardized charging cables decided from the end of the year

The EU Commission and the EU Parliament have been working for more than fifteen years on the uniform regulation for chargers.(Bild: ©Alex - stock.adobe.com)

No more cable clutter: from the end of the year, all smartphones, digital cameras, headphones, tablets and games consoles must have standardized charging connections. A corresponding amendment to the Radio Equipment Market Monitoring Act was passed unanimously in the National Council on Wednesday. The requirements will also apply to notebooks from the end of April 2026. This implements an EU directive.

The EU Commission and the EU Parliament have been working for more than fifteen years on a uniform regulation for chargers. The Commission first agreed on uniform standards with most manufacturers in a declaration of intent in 2009. However, these were not binding and Apple, now the world's second-largest smartphone manufacturer, did not participate. The agreement expired in 2014.

With the EU directive adopted in October 2022, Apple must now also comply with the uniform plugs. Specifically, from December 28, most devices affected by the regulation must have a USB-C port.

In future, small electronic devices will only be charged using USB-C.(Bild: APA/dpa/Leonie Grassauer)

Less waste and costs
The new requirements are expected to reduce electronic waste in the EU by almost 1,000 tons per year and save thousands of tons of CO2. Above all, the Commission expects consumers to use their cables for longer and buy fewer chargers. So far, they have spent a total of around 250 million euros per year on chargers that are not actually needed.