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| All European Union countries must use USB-C ports | Photo: Reuters |
From now on, all types of electrical gadgets sold in European Union countries will have to use USB-C port chargers. Chargers with USB-C, USB-2, or any other type of port cannot be used as before.
A large portion of gadgets sold in any country in the European Union must use USB-C chargers. According to the European Union Directive 2022/2380, all gadget manufacturers must comply with this rule. The main goal of this directive is to bring common charging solutions for everyone, reduce charger-related e-waste, and reduce market fragmentation. In the same directive, in addition to the need to use USB-C charger ports, various issues including fast charging, not connecting chargers to a single device and improved labeling have been given importance. The new directive will work to make the lives of gadget users in the European Union easier.
The European Union and the EU Parliament reached a provisional agreement on a common charging solution on 7 June 2022. The law was formally approved in October of that year. Following the approval of the Council of the European Union, countries were ordered to incorporate the directive into national law by 28 December 2024.
According to the new guidelines, a common charging solution is to use a USB-C charger for anything defined as radio equipment. Electrical products that emit or receive radio waves for communication purposes must use such chargers. According to the guidelines, C-type chargers must be used for mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld video game consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems and earbuds. Devices that are rechargeable and require up to 100 watts of charging via a cable must use a C-type charger. According to these guidelines, a PlayStation 5 device does not need to use a C-type charger. The PlayStation uses a 350-watt power supply. On the other hand, the Nintendo Switch requires up to 6 watts of power in TV mode.
According to the new guidelines, for now, different port chargers can be used on laptops that do not have C-type by April 28, 2026. No direct announcement has been made about some other products. Drones are not mentioned in the list. At the same time, it is not clear what type of digital camera is being referred to. The Commission said that the list of various devices in the guidelines has been kept as relevant as possible. Market developments, segmentation, and technological advancements will be continuously evaluated to keep the list up to date.
Wireless charging is not currently covered by the guidelines. The commission said it will follow best practices to avoid negative impacts on consumers and the environment in the future of domestic markets in various countries.