EU votes for USB-C ports on all electronic devices

EU votes for USB-C ports on all electronic devices

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26 April 2022

The Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee has voted in favor of a directive to use a common charging port on all electronic devices sold in Europe, paving the way for a formal bill that would require all manufacturers to offer USB-C ports on smartphones and laptops. , tablets, cameras, speakers, headphones etc.

The new directive, which will be turned into a bill, also stipulates that the packaging of electronic devices must clearly state whether they include a charger, as well as the charging methods they support. The rationale is to dramatically reduce e-waste and make it easier for consumers to have different chargers for each different e-device they use.

The members of the European Parliament who participate in this committee gave 43 votes in favor and 2 against, so it is considered almost certain that the directive will actually be turned into a bill. This will force companies like Apple to set aside their own technologies (see Lightning socket) to adopt the USB-C standard. However, those devices that are not large enough to fit the USB-C jack, such as smartwatches and fitness trackers, are excluded.

After the final version of the bill is passed by all MEPs, the next step is to pass approval in each EU member state separately and then companies will be given 15 months to change the design of the new electronic devices sold. in Europe.

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