The universal charger becomes compulsory in France for smartphones, tablets and headphones

All smartphones, tablets and headphones sold new in France must now be powered by a USB-C type charger, in accordance with a decree which comes into force on Saturday December 28 – application deadline set in the European Union (EU) . This measure aims to reduce waste and the multiplication of cables.

E-readers, cameras, game consoles, headsets, as well as mice and keyboards must comply with this new standard. From spring 2026, it will also apply to laptops.

According to European institutions, discarded or unused chargers represent around 11,000 tonnes of waste per year in the EU. The new regulations should make it possible to reduce their annual quantity by almost 1,000 tonnes.

The decision should also have a financial impact, because the measure imposes standardization of fast charging on devices and requires new devices to be offered for sale with or without a charger. According to the European Commission, this should save 250 million euros per year; a relatively small amount at EU level (a little over 50 euro cents per capita).

A standard already taken into account by manufacturers

The entry into force of the measure 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 phones with chargers developed by the brand, for a time displayed its opposition to the adoption of this rule, accusing it in particular of “harm innovation”. But the Californian company finally abandoned its standoff with the EU by marketing, from 2023, a new model (the iPhone 15) equipped with a USB-C port.

From now on, all of its products (laptops, tablets and headphones) are compatible with the universal charger. Many competing brands, such as Samsung, Xiaomi and Google, have already adopted this type of charging port.

Refurbished devices also affected

An adoption that the National Frequency Agency (ANFR) will be responsible for monitoring in France. Verifications will be carried out 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 Agence France-Presse Gilles Brégant, director general of ANFR. This rule relating to the date of entry into European territory also applies 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 Mr. 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.