EU Parliament calls for standardised charging cables

At the beginning of May, the European Parliament voted in favour of standardising charging cables for small and medium-sized devices. The plenary followed the recommendation of the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) for a corresponding revision of the Radio Equipment Directive. Now, parliament will start negotiations with Member States.

The obligation to use a USB-C port will apply to mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, portable video game consoles, and loudspeakers. Devices that are too small for a USB-C port are to be exempt from the provisions.

The planned standardisation is intended to reduce waste, as it allows consumers to use existing cables, regardless of the manufacturer. A label indicating whether a charging cable is included or not is also intended to help.