EU approved requirements for USB Type-C ports

The European Commission has approved a new regulation that establishes a mandatory requirement: most chargers with a power of up to 100 W must be equipped with a USB Type-C port. The document, published in the EU Journal, will enter into force in full from December 2028.

The updated rules apply to external power supplies for wireless charging, universal chargers, as well as equipment such as modems, routers and game consoles. The list also includes power supplies for monitors and consoles, if they operate via a separate external converter, and are not directly connected to the network. Such devices will necessarily carry the Common Charger logo – a mark indicating compatibility with various gadgets.

EU requirements for USB Type-C

The regulation requires universal power supplies to have surge protection to meet telecom equipment standards. The European Commission is confident that the new rules will help reduce electricity consumption, reduce the amount of electronic waste and increase the compatibility of chargers available on the market. According to experts, the introduction of the rules can provide up to 0.7 TWh of electricity savings annually by 2035.

The EU has already decided on a single standard for charging ports for smartphones and other gadgets. From the end of 2024, all new devices sold in the European Union must have USB Type-C. From 2026, the requirement will also apply to laptops. The priority is to reduce the amount of waste caused by the constant replacement of cables and chargers during the transition to new models of equipment.

The document also lists other categories of devices for which the USB-C standard will also become mandatory. These include tablets, e-books, portable game consoles, digital cameras, headphones and headsets, wireless speakers, as well as keyboards and mice.