Smartphones, tablets, headphones: all these devices sold new must now be powered by a single charger. UA measure advocated to reduce waste and the multiplication of cables.
Although the exact date of entry into force seems little known, the measure is well received by consumers in the 10th arrondissement of Paris.
“This is good news, it avoids accumulating too much equipment”comments Ariane Komorn, 36 years old. However, she expects a period of adaptation. The latter will give him time to get rid of his old chargers, which are still useful for “historic devices”.
Aljosa Zapotnik, 30, has him “already sold” many chargers. He is pleased to be able to use this universal model on his new iPhone.
But the measure does not only concern smartphones. Tablets, e-readers, cameras, game consoles, headphones and headsets too. Mice or keyboards will also have to comply with this new standard.
From spring 2026, it will also apply to laptops.
The text, which arises from a European directive adopted in 2022, requires small electronic devices sold to have a USB-C type charging port, which is already very widespread.
The decree, which comes into force in France on Saturday, coincides with the deadline for application set in the European Union (EU).
The decision voted by the European Parliament aims to limit the production of electronic waste.
According to European institutions, discarded or unused chargers represent around 11,000 tonnes of waste per year in the EU. And the new regulations should make it possible to reduce their annual quantity by almost 1,000 tonnes.
But the decision should also have a direct impact on the wallet, praises the European Commission.
Because in addition to a single charger, the measure also imposes standardization of fast charging on devices. It also requires new devices to be offered for sale with or without a charger.
According to the Commission, this should result in savings of 250 million euros per year. A relatively low amount on the scale of the European Union: a little more than 50 euro cents per inhabitant.
Control operations
The entry into force of the measure on Saturday should not, however, be accompanied by a radical change.
Discussed for several years, the standard has already been widely adopted by electronic device manufacturers.
Apple, which equipped its iPhones with chargers “ lightning » developed by the brand, for a time displayed its opposition to the adoption of this new rule, accusing it in particular of “harm innovation”.
But the Californian company finally abandoned its standoff with the European Union by marketing a new model – the iPhone 15 – equipped with a USB-C port from 2023.
Now all of its products, laptops, tablets and headphones are also compatible with the universal charger.
Many competing brands, such as Samsung, Xiaomi and Google have already adopted this type of charging port.
An adoption that the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) will be responsible for monitoring in France.
Verifications will take place directly at points of sale, and not at manufacturers.“We will also be able to go to warehouses for everything related to mail order sales”specifies to AFP Gilles Brégant, general director of ANFR.
Sellers will, however, have an authorized period of time for devices entering European territory before Saturday, time to sell their stocks to the public.
This rule relating to the date of entry into European territory will also apply to reconditioned devices.
” Even if [un appareil] is relatively old, from the moment it entered the European market before the date in question, it has the right to continue living on the European market”explains Gilles Brégant.
As for old, unusable chargers that clutter drawers, it is forbidden – like any electronic device – to throw them away with other waste. Several websites, notably that of Ademe, list suitable collection points.
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