A universal charger for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers and portable video game consoles with a single standard UsbC port, and stop selling cables for every new device purchased.
These are the two main measures contained in a new proposal from the European Commission to cut electronic waste.
"We have given the industry all the time to find its own solutions, now the time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger", explained the vice president of the EU Commission, Margrethe Vestager, underlining that it is a " important victory "for Europeans and the environment. Also for the EU Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, the proposal is "an important step to increase practicality and reduce waste".
The Usb-C will be the common port, which means that you will be able to charge your devices with the same charger regardless of their brand.
Brussels also plans to harmonize fast charging technology to ensure the same charging speed on different devices and the possibility for consumers to buy a new electronic device without a new charger.
According to the Commission's estimates, "reducing the production and disposal of new chargers will reduce the amount of electronic waste by almost a thousand tons per year" and will help consumers "save € 250 million per year on purchases of unneeded chargers ".