Shared chargers proved too difficult. Poland received a reminder

Two years ago, it was decided that by the end of 2024, all mobile phones, tablets and cameras sold in the European Union would have to be equipped with a USB Type-C port. In spring 2026, the EU will also include laptops in this requirement. These regulations are part of the EU’s efforts to reduce the amount of electronic waste.

How will it work? All new mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, earphones, portable game consoles and speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, and laptops that charge via a cable and operate at up to 100W will be required to have a USB Type-C port, regardless of brand.

Common charger

The main goal of the new regulation is pro-ecological activities. It is intended to reduce the amount of electronic waste produced.

– With half a billion mobile chargers shipped to Europe every year, generating 11,000-13,000 tonnes of e-waste, a single charger for mobile phones and other small and medium-sized electronic devices will benefit everyone. It will help protect the environment, help reuse old electronics, save money and reduce unnecessary costs and inconvenience for businesses and consumers alike.In – said project rapporteur Alex Agius Saliba.

Poland has not made EU regulations more expensive

Consumers would certainly appreciate such a solution – unfortunately, Polish authorities are late in implementing EU regulations. The European Commission has moved to the second stage of the procedure for infringement of EU law and warned that if Polish authorities do not take appropriate action within two months, Brussels may refer a complaint against Poland to the EU Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

If Poland refuses to take appropriate action, the matter may end in financial penalties.

Poland has moved to the second stage of the procedure, as our country has not yet notified the European Commission – like Greece – about the implementation of EU regulations on the universal charger into national law. The deadline for transposing this directive expired on 28 December 2023.

Over the past decade, Parliament has repeatedly called for the introduction of common chargers. However, working with the electronics industry on voluntary solutions to reduce the number of chargers for mobile devices has not yielded tangible benefits for EU consumers. Finally, on 23 September 2021, the Commission presented a legislative proposal.

The European Union wants replaceable batteries in phones

However, this is not the last idea of ​​the European Union, which is not only to influence ecology, but also to give customers more control over the goods they buy. The European Commission has started work on a new directive. This time, it is about batteries.

According to the planned assumptions, all phones on the EU market will not only have to have a USB-C charging input, but also a replaceable battery. Currently, most manufacturers assemble smartphones in such a way that the user cannot access the battery on their own. The difficulty in replacing it means that customers often decide to buy a new phone instead of replacing a faulty or used battery. The EU wants to fight this, because it also generates tons of electronic waste.