USB-C is now the law of the land in Europe

“It’s Charger Time,” the The European Commission sent X on December 28, 2024 Although the opinion only applies to one continent (not the whole) and only to certain devices, the Common Chargers Directive, now in force in the European Union, suggests that far fewer gadgets will impose barrels, USB- micro, or proprietary plugs of their owners.

The General Charger Directive requires a “USB-C receiver” to be equipped on “radio equipment” that is “equipped with a removable or built-in rechargeable battery” and “can be recharged via wired charging”. If it has a battery and can be powered by up to 100 watts via a USB-C connection, it’s usually subject to EU USB-C requirements. The directive applies to devices “placed on the market” – sent to a distributor or buyer – after December 28, even if they were originally designed and sold before that date.

Laptops must be compliant by April 2026, but most other things – phones, tablets, portable gaming devices, computer accessories and wireless headphones – will need to be powered by USB-C to be sold in the EU from now onwards. Drones are largely exempt from the directive for now, but the EU is likely to bypass them.

The directive contains several exceptions and some latitude. Devices with non-rechargeable batteries, such as coin cells or AA/AAA batteries, get a pass, so many smart home gadgets are excluded. There is some vague language around devices being recharged in a case or box, although headphone cases are specifically included in the mandate. Devices that only charge wirelessly are also exempt. And a device may offer another charging option, such as Apple’s MagSafe or proprietary plugs, as long as USB-C charging is also available.

Fewer bricks, standardized “fast charging”

The most significant impact this USB-C requirement has had so far has been on Apple, which, while initially resisting, is gradually displacing its products from its own Lightning connector to USB-C. That’s it the latest iMac it comes with a Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad that connect via USB-C. The company stopped selling the iPhone 14 and iPhone SE with lightning charging in the EU after December 28.

In addition to simply requiring a USB-C port, the Directive requires anything with “fast charging” – pulling more than 5 volts, 3 amps or 15 watts – to allow USB Power Delivery (USB PD) standard. This should ensure that they properly negotiate charging rates with any USB PD charger, rather than requiring their own charging brick or adapter.

In Europe, devices must state on their product boxes whether they contain a charging plug or an intermediate cable. A different label will indicate the minimum and maximum power the device requires to charge and whether it can support USB PD or not.

Can the EU make cables understand each other?

EU X’s holiday post is full of responses from doubters, suggesting that imposing USB-C as “The Charger” could stifle companies innovating in other ways to deliver power. Most of these criticisms are addressed in the actual text of the law, as more powerful devices are exempt, secondary power plugs are allowed and wireless is largely given a pass. “What about when USB-D arrives?” is something that no one person can really answer, although it seems a vague reason to avoid dealing with the e-waste, fragmentation and consumer confusion of the larger device charging ecosystem.

It remains to be seen how the Common Charger Directive will be implemented, as this is something that is up to the Member States. It is also unproven whether companies will comply with it in their international product lines or simply produce specific EU-compliant products.

This story originally appeared on Ars Technica.