Mandatory from now on
New small electronic devices only have a USB-C port
12/28/2024 – 11:48 a.mReading time: 1 Min.
After years of discussions, the EU Parliament approved the introduction of standardized charging cables in October 2022. The regulation now comes into force.
From today on, new small electronic devices must have a USB-C charging port. The deadline of December 28, 2024 affects devices such as smartphones, tablets, headphones, keyboards, mice, digital cameras, portable speakers, portable game consoles, e-readers or navigation devices.
For notebooks and larger laptops, the EU directive gives manufacturers more time to switch to a USB-C charging socket. This change will only become mandatory from April 28, 2026.
The switch forced by EU lawmakers was preceded by years of debate. Supporters such as Environment Minister Steffi Lemke (Greens) said that the uniform charging socket would be a relief for consumers and a success for environmental protection because less electronic waste would be generated in the future. On the day it came into force, the minister expressed her satisfaction: “This finally puts an end to the confusion of different plug connections,” Lemke told the dpa.
Critics such as the digital association Bitkom saw the USB-C requirement as unnecessary interference in the market. They argued that the market had already largely regulated itself and the number of charging socket types had fallen from around 30 to just three (USB-C, Apple Lightning and Micro-USB) in recent years.
Among the manufacturers, Apple was particularly affected because the company had consistently used its own Lightning connector for charging sockets. Since the iPhone 15, which was presented in September 2023, the US company has now converted its entire product range to USB-C.