Manufacturers of smartphones, tablets, e-readers, cameras and other mobile technology will soon be forced to make devices that are compatible with a universal charger.
The European Commission promised on Wednesday to submit a proposal on this matter by autumn.
The European Parliament is adopting adopt a similar request. The aim is to simplify things for consumers and to reduce electronic waste.
“To every purchase of a new electronic device you add a charger, which is often different from the one you already have,” the MEPs exclaim.
For six years the Commission has pursued a “voluntary approach” to encourage mobile manufacturers to cooperate, but this is no longer enough. The waste due to chargers alone costs approximately 300 million euro per year for a 50,000-ton waste, according to the European Commission.
US computer giant Apple has already made known its opposition to the universal charger.
Apple regularly modifies its devices’ chargers. It claims that the universal charger would put a damper on innovation and penalize European users, who would miss out on its technology.
The Brussels Times
