The EU proposes a universal smartphone charger based on IEC standards

According to the official website of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on September 27, 2021, the European Commission expressed its desire to compel manufacturers to adopt universal charging solutions for mobile phones and small electronic devices. According to this proposal based on IEC standards, USB-C will become the universal charging port for smartphones sold in the European Union.

In this proposal, other devices include tablets, portable speakers, and handheld video game consoles. The European Commission suggests establishing an international standard to ensure that devices that can be charged quickly charge at the same speed.

The European Commission believes that allowing consumers to reuse existing chargers may have a significant impact on electronic waste. Margrethe Vestager, Vice President of the European Commission, said: "European consumers have been frustrated by the mountains of incompatible chargers in their drawers for long enough.

We have given the industry enough time to come up with their own solutions, and now it is time to take legislative action for a common charger. This is an important victory for our consumers and the environment, in line with our green and digital ambitions.

In 2020, the European Union sold approximately 420 million mobile phones and other portable electronic devices. According to a 2019 impact assessment study by the European Union, 29% of mobile phone chargers in the EU had USB-C ports in 2018.

The committee estimates that discarded and unused chargers generate 11000 tons of electronic waste annually.

Finally, the references and EC scheme cover the adoption of the IEC standards for USB-C and power transmission in Europe (EN IEC 62680-1-3 and EN IEC 62680-1-2).

Many manufacturers have adopted the IEC 62680 standard for data support of a series of telephone standards. It specifies the universal charging interoperability requirements for external power sources (EPS) for smart mobile phones supporting data (up to 7.5 watts).