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posted by janrinok on Sunday February 02 2020, @12:43AM   Printer-friendly
from the highly-charged-decision dept.

The European Parliament (EP) just voted 582 to 40 to require one standard for chargers for all mobile phones. The EP cited the goals of reducing both frustration and electronic waste. The next step would be for the European Commission to draft a law and vote on it in July. Currently most of the industry uses micro-USB and is slowly adopting USB-C, however there are also phones using other connectors.

From the European Parliament resolution on a common charger for mobile radio equipment (2019/2983(RSP)):

1. Strongly stresses that there is an urgent need for EU regulatory action to reduce electronic waste, empower consumers to make sustainable choices, and allow them to fully participate in an efficient and well-functioning internal market;

2. Calls on the Commission to present and publish without further delay the results of the impact assessment on the introduction of a common charger for mobile telephones and other compatible devices with a view to proposing mandatory provisions;

3. Emphasises the need for a standard for a common charger for mobile radio equipment to be adopted as a matter of urgency in order to avoid further internal market fragmentation;

4. Calls, therefore, on the Commission to take action to introduce the common charger without any further delay by adopting the delegated act supplementing Directive 2014/53/EU on radio equipment defining a standard for a common charger for mobile phones and other small and medium-sized radio equipment by July 2020, or, if necessary, by adopting a legislative measure by July 2020 at the latest;

Earlier on SN:
The Dream Of A Common Charger Is Alive, Despite Apple's Complaining (2020)
European MEPs Back Single Charger Standard (2014)


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  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 02 2020, @01:00AM (4 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Sunday February 02 2020, @01:00AM (#952574)

    At least Britain will no longer be subject to such tyranny! After Brexit, Britishers will be able to have as many incompatible charging cords as corporations want them to have!

    Tyrannically obligatory xkcd. [xkcd.com]

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  • (Score: 2) by Nuke on Sunday February 02 2020, @11:30AM (3 children)

    by Nuke (3162) on Sunday February 02 2020, @11:30AM (#952686)

    That's not how it will work.

    I'm a Brexiter but recognise that the EU do some good things - sometimes. The phonemakers are not going to make phones specially with incompatible connectors just for the UK or any other particular nation - we will get them with the standardised connector too. And even if we did not, there is nothing now preventing us from mandating that requirement in the UK as well. The whole world is likely to benefit from this.

    • (Score: 2) by NateMich on Sunday February 02 2020, @04:11PM (2 children)

      by NateMich (6662) on Sunday February 02 2020, @04:11PM (#952731)

      The phonemakers are not going to make phones specially with incompatible connectors just for the UK or any other particular nation

      Alternatively, Apple could make some totally awesome new connector that everyone will be able to use... Except for in the EU. Then they could use this law as an explanation for them being stuck with type C or whatever.

      • (Score: 2) by Nuke on Sunday February 02 2020, @07:51PM

        by Nuke (3162) on Sunday February 02 2020, @07:51PM (#952811)

        Yes, I'm shrieking with excitement here at the prospect of Apple introducing a new charging connector.

      • (Score: 2) by toddestan on Sunday February 02 2020, @08:11PM

        by toddestan (4982) on Sunday February 02 2020, @08:11PM (#952822)

        Even if Apple came up with some super awesome connector, they wouldn't allow anyone else to use it either. You'd end with everyone else using USB-C, iPhones in the EU also using USB-C, and iPhones not in the EU using some special snowflake fruity Apple-only connector.