Europe set for standard mobile phone chargers

Incompatibility of chargers for mobile phones is a major inconvenience for users and also leads to unnecessary waste. Therefore, the European Commission has requested industry to come forward with a voluntary commitment to solve this problem so as to avoid legislation. As a result major producers of mobile phones have agreed to harmonise chargers in the EU. In a Memorandum of Understanding ('MoU'), which was submitted to the Commission on the 29 June 2009, the industry committed to provide chargers compatibility on the basis of the Micro-USB connector. In addition new EU standards to ensure continued safe charger use will be developed to facilitate the implementation of the MoU. The first generation of new inter-chargeable mobile phones should reach the EU market from 2010 onwards.

European Commission: Press Release: IP/09/1049: Commission welcomes industry's commitment to provide a common charger for mobile phones http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/1049&format=DOC&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

European Commission: DG Enterprise and Industry: Industry Sectors: Radio and Telecommunications Terminal Equipment (R&TTE): Harmonisation of chargers for mobile phones http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/rtte/chargers.htm

EurActiv, 29.6.09: EU industry commits to universal mobile phone charger http://www.euractiv.com/en/infosociety/eu-industry-commits-universal-mobile-phone-charger/article-183596

BBC News, 29.6.09: Universal phone charger deal done http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_8124000/8124293.stm

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