USB-C Universal Law Receives Final Approval in EU

The law to make USB-C the universal charging cable for phones in the European Union starting in 2024 received its final approval on Monday. 

Members of the European Council approved the common charger directive making USB-C the common charging cable across the EU. The law will need the signature of the president of the European Parliament and the president of the Council before it's published in the Official Journal of the European Union, which will make it enforceable in 24 months. 

The common charger directive was 10 years in the making and designed to reduce the amount of electronic waste. Along with phones, USB-C will also be the standard charging plug for tablets, digital cameras, headphones, handheld consoles and most other small devices. Laptops will also be required to use the cable in 2026.

Most phones use USB-C for charging except for Apple, which has been testing the universal plug instead of its Lighting port for its iPhones.

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