No more connection confusion
Standard charging cables will be mandatory at the end of the year
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Depending on the manufacturer of smartphones and laptops, the charging cable may also vary. This annoying diversity is now over. In the future, things will be made much easier for consumers with just one type of connection.
Uniform charging cables for all cell phones, tablets and game consoles will also be mandatory in Germany at the end of the year. The Bundestag has created the legal basis for the implementation of a corresponding EU directive. USB-C will become the standard for charging smartphones, digital cameras, headphones, e-readers or navigation devices by the end of the year. From 2026 this will also apply to laptops. Consumers should also be given the choice of whether or not they want to buy a charger together with a new device.
This technical standardization is intended to relieve people's financial burden and at the same time avoid unnecessary electronic waste. So far, there are around 11,000 tons of electronic waste per year due to various chargers. “It makes everyday life easier for consumers, and it is also good for the environment,” said the chairwoman of the parliamentary digital committee, Tabea Rößner (Greens).
According to the ministry, around 420 million electronic devices were purchased by consumers in the EU in 2020. On average, every consumer has three chargers, two of which they use regularly.
The law was passed by the Bundestag without any dissenting votes. The CDU, CSU and AfD also voted for the new regulation – only the left abstained. Your MP Ralph Lenkert complained about a “back door” in the law, which requires manufacturers to use uniform charging cables, but allows variations in charging power and charging software. “So the competition has only been shifted from the plug to the software – and that is not enough.”
