As has been proposed for years, the European Union seems to be stepping up its efforts to achieve universalisation of USB-C connectors in all devices sold in Europe in order to control the production of various standards in order to reduce the tonne of e-waste they eventually produce.

«With half a billion portable device chargers delivered to Europe each year, generating 11,000 to 13,000 tonnes of e-waste, a single charger for mobile phones and other small and medium-sized electronic devices would benefit everyone.“Alex Agius Saliba, a Member of the European Parliament, has been declared.

Although we have seen over the years impressive cuts from over 30 different types of chargers (I count practically every company with its personalized standard) up to the widespread use of only three models. Although the development from micro USB to USB-C already seems like a simple matter of time, Apple continues to defend its Lightning chargers exclusive to the brand. And this is because although the Cupertine company has begun to take some measures, such as removing the plug or headphones supplied with its phones, this new legislation will require a complete reassessment of its ports.

To this end, the European Union has now taken a new step towards standardization within a single port. And just yesterday, the European Parliament’s Committee on Consumer Protection and the Internal Market voted the latest Commission proposal, which was approved by 43 votes to 2, take this new legislation one step further to make it a reality. The next step will therefore be to wait for the next vote, which will be presented to MEPs next month, in which the precise rules of this new legislation will be discussed and negotiated with the Member States.

This means that while this USB-C universalization seems to be getting closer, even as practices continue to develop positively, as they do, This new legislation will not enter into force until 2026.

So this year will be a huge turning point for the whole technology market, because it will not only affect chargers, but seeks standardization applied to all electronic devicesincluding smartphones, tablets, laptops, headsets, storage systems, looking for a unique connector that we can use to charge and transmit data that would free only those devices that are too small to use, such as smart watches .