The European Commission presented, on Thursday 23 September, a proposal for a directive to improve charging interfaces for smartphones (and similar electronic and portable devices) with the primary aim of limiting market fragmentation and costs for consumers, but also to reduce electronic waste.
“We all have a large number of these chargers in our drawers, which have not been used for many years, but which we keep because, you never know, ‘they may be useful one day’. In short, something had to be done”, the Commissioner for the Internal Market, Thierry Breton, said at a press conference.
The Commissioner explained that he had taken on a “well-worn subject” that was more than 10 years old and that he had inherited it, recognising that the voluntary and self-regulatory approach chosen by the European Commission in 2009 had reached its limits.
Thus, the proposal, which follows a European Parliament resolution of 2020 (see EUROPE 12415/10), amends Directive 2014/53/EU on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment.
“We propose that every electronic device should be equipped with the most common technological solution, i.e. a USB-C port”, said the Commissioner. The aim is to put an end to the problem of multiple cables and chargers, he explained, holding up his business and personal mobile phones, which have different technologies.
In addition, the legislative proposal aims to: - harmonise the fast charging technology on the electronic device side, namely USB PD; - better inform consumers about the charging requirements of their electronic devices with regard to the charger to be used; - finally, to offer an ‘unbundled solution’ by selling the charger separately from the electronic device. In other words, when selling a smartphone, or any other device covered by this Directive, the consumer will have the choice of whether or not to take a charger with their new device.
A text that will evolve
It should be noted that the text does not cover wireless charging solutions. The reason? The technology is still under development, the market is in its infancy and too fragmented for the European Commission to act at the moment, an EU source said. However, as the Commissioner indicated in a press conference, the text will be updated through delegated acts in order to follow technological and market developments.
Thus, if the text remains as it is, the Commission is empowered to: - update technical standards in the field of wireline recharging; - introduce requirements for wireless charging; - update the scope of electronic equipment covered by the Directive.
For the time being, the proposal covers, in addition to mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, portable speakers and video game consoles.
Asked by EUROPE about the potential consequences on the final price of products of such a harmonisation, the Commissioner estimated that there will be no, or very little, additional cost for manufacturers who opt for several charging solutions (USB-C and another solution).
Moreover, manufacturers will have time to organise themselves before the text is implemented, he argued. The Commissioner has set a target of 2 years between the time needed for negotiation and transposition.
A proposal that divides
The text elicited contrasting reactions. Anna Cavazzini MEP (Greens/EFA, Germany), who chairs the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO), welcomed the announcement. “The EU declares war on cable clutter. Finally, the European Commission is standing up to the lobbying power of Apple and Co, listening to consumer advocates and tackling the cable mess”, she said, underlining the ineffectiveness of the voluntary approach that has prevailed until now.
The initiative was also warmly welcomed on the S&D side, notably by Evelyne Gebhardt (Germany), for the same reasons, as well as by the association ANEC, which represents consumer interests in the field of standardisation. For her, the voluntary approach does not work and goes against the consumer and the environment.
On the contrary, “we remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world”, the US multinational Apple said in a statement the same day. The multinational hopes to continue discussions with the European Commission and stakeholders to “help find a solution that protects consumer interest”.
Commissioner Breton brushed aside this criticism, saying that he had spoken to Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, without the latter ever having raised the issue. Conclusion: “I'm not sure that it worries Apple all that much”. He added: “it is not because we are introducing harmonisation - believe me! - that we are putting the brakes on innovation. I know this line! I don't believe it, it's not true!”
To consult the European Commission’s proposal: https://bit.ly/2XKxB9j (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)