USB-C becomes law: The European Union has officially banned laptops with proprietary chargers

The European Union has officially completed a large-scale transition to a single standard for chargers for mobile equipment. According to the updated “Common Charger Directive”, from April 28, all new laptops on sale in the 27 EU member states are required to support charging via a universal USB Type-C port. This rule applies to all devices introduced after the end of the transition period, which has lasted for the last 16 months.

Overview of the requirements of the Common Charger Directive

The original EU requirements came into force back in December 2024, but laptop manufacturers were given additional time to adapt production lines. The main goal of legislators is to make life easier for users and rid the market of the dominance of various power supplies, which often become useless when purchasing a new gadget. Now consumers will be able to use the same cable and adapter for their smartphone, tablet and laptop.

Technical characteristics and scope

According to the new law, having at least one USB-C port that can accept current to charge the device is mandatory. The requirement applies to laptops with a power consumption of up to 100 W inclusive. For most modern ultrabooks, office models and mid-segment laptops, this will be the only necessary power interface.

Features for gaming laptops and powerful systems

The text of the directive provides for certain exceptions for high-performance systems. Devices that exceed the 100W power threshold (for example, heavy gaming workstations or professional mobile workstations) may continue to be equipped with proprietary barrel-plug connectors. However, even in such cases, having a functional USB-C port with support for the Power Delivery standard remains a legal requirement.

New packaging rules: no charger included

An important part of the changes was the requirement for unbundled packaging. Manufacturers are now required to offer versions of laptops without a power supply in the box. This solution encourages the reuse of accessories the user already owns. This measure should not only reduce the cost of purchase, but also significantly reduce the volume of electronic waste on a global scale.

Economic and environmental effect

According to preliminary estimates by the European Commission, the transition to a single USB-C standard will allow residents of the region to save a total of up to €250 million annually. From an environmental perspective, the benefits are also clear: e-waste is expected to be reduced by 11,000 tons per year. These figures confirm that the EU is serious about its Green Deal.

Nuances: who is not covered by the law?

The innovation affects exclusively new device models that are being launched on the market from now on. The law is not retroactive, so laptop models already on store shelves or devices on the secondary market can be sold in their original form with the old connector types. However, all major vendors had to synchronize their global product lines to meet the requirements of the European market.

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