Common charger for mobile radio equipment

Summary:

Non-legislative Resolution adopted by the European Parliament in January 2020, which urges the European Commission to put forward improved rules on common chargers within the following months.

Further information:

The Resolution - approved by 582 votes to 40 - calls for the mandatory introduction of common chargers for all mobile devices. The Parliament urges the European Commission to adopt a delegated act by July 2020 or, if necessary, table a legislative measure by the same date, at the latest. Lawmakers also wish to see measures to best ensure the interoperability of different wireless chargers with different mobile devices, to work towards an increase in the volume of cables and chargers collected and recycled in Member States, and to ensure that consumers are no longer obliged to buy new chargers with each new device.

In the 2014 Radio Equipment Directive, the European Commission had already encouraged the industry to develop common chargers but without compulsory

• Primary Source

News

The New York Times, 17/01/2020: A Common Charger for All Phones? The E.U. Is on the Case https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/17/business/european-union-phone-charger.html

BBC News, 17/01/2020: Apple may have to abandon Lightning connector cable https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-51137069

Reuters, 30/01/2020: EU lawmakers, with eye on Apple, call for common mobile charger https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKBN1ZT1W4

The Brussels Times, 30/01/2020: EU to impose a universal charger for all smart phone brands https://www.brusselstimes.com/all-news/business/92718/european-commission-to-impose-universal-smart-phone-charger/

EUObserver, 31/01/2020: MEPs urge binding rules for common chargers by July https://euobserver.com/science/147322

EurActiv, 03/02/2020: MEPs want tech firms to adopt universal charger, Commission ‘ready’ to take matter in hand https://www.euractiv.com/section/digital/news/meps-want-tech-firms-to-adopt-universal-charger-commission-ready-to-take-matter-in-hand/

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Official

European Parliament: Press Release, 30/01/2020: Parliament wants binding rules on common chargers to be tabled by summer https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20200128IPR71205/

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