Within a year, smartphones, tablets and other small electronic devices sold in France will have to have the same charger, according to a European decision that will come into force on December 28, 2024, according to a decree published this Thursday, December 28 in the Official Gazette.
According to the decree, the National Frequency Agency will be in charge of controlling “the marketing of radioelectric equipment compatible with the specific requirements of the universal charger.”
Following a plebiscite of MEPs in Strasbourg in October 2022, the USB-C type port will have to become the only charger for portable electronic devices sold in the EU before autumn 2024, much to the dismay of the American giant Apple, which until now It has its own standard.
All manufacturers affected
This world-first legislation will be required for mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, headphones, digital cameras, wireless headphones, portable video game consoles, GPS, keyboards and mice, computers, as well as portable speakers. And this, regardless of its manufacturer.
For laptops, the effective date is April 26, 2026, Bercy said. Although there were still around thirty different models around ten years ago, the number of types of chargers available for new electronic devices has already been considerably reduced.
Now there are three: the Micro USB connector that has long been equipped with most phones, USB-C, a newer connection, and Apple’s Lightning charging technology.
“Thanks to this measure, 11,000 tons of electronic waste will be avoided each year according to the European Commission, a concrete step towards reducing Europe’s environmental footprint,” Bercy stressed on Thursday.
Source: BFM TV
