The historic decision was made by members of the European Parliament. They voted to adopt USB Type-C as the sole standard for charging mobile devices. 43 parliamentarians were in favor of such an initiative and only 2 opposed it.

This means that all device manufacturers that will sell their products in Europe will have to equip them with a Type-C port. Including Apple, which while the MacBook and iPad have long been Type-C, they still use the iPhone’s own Lightning connector.

The reason for this decision was the concern for the environment recently. For example, buyers will be able to use a cable to charge any device instead of buying a new one every time. In theory, this should reduce the amount of e-waste.

The initiative covers not only smartphones, but also tablets, cameras, e-books, headphones, portable speakers and game consoles. Adding laptops to the list is under discussion. The only devices that can be made without Type-C – those that are not physically equipped with a connector due to size. These are fitness bracelets and smart watches.

MEPs also want to ensure maximum compatibility between wireless charging standards to exceed manufacturers’ new Type-C requirement.