The European Commission Wants You To Use USB-C Forever
The European Commission announced on Saturday that all new electronic devices sold in the European Union (E.U.) must support USB-C charging. While this may seem convenient for today’s consumers, it will stifle innovation in the long run and discourage technology companies from developing superior forms of charging technology.
In October 2022, the E.U. approved the Common Charger Directive, mandating that all cell phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, video game consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, and earbuds sold in the E.U. be chargeable via USB-C by December 28, 2024. The rule will extend to laptops in April 2026, covering nearly every major consumer electronic device.
In June 2022, the European Commission published a document explaining the motivation for the rule. The two stated goals of the directive were to save consumers $258 million a year “on unnecessary charger purchases” and to reduce 11,000 tons of annual electronic waste by 1,000 tons. The Commission complained that “only 2 out of 3 owned chargers are used by consumers.” The use of “only” here is confusing, considering two out of three is a majority of 66 percent—and more than the 49 percent of E.U. residents who use the Type F socket (aka the Schuko socket), whose adoption the Commission has not mandated.
Former European Commissioner for Competition Margrethe Vestager celebrated the Common Charger Directive, describing it as “a real benefit to
Article from Reason.com
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