The deadline 28 is December 2024, but what is the significance of that date? From this day forward all mobile phones and other devices sold in the EU will have to incorporate a USB Type-C charging port, which will become a universal charger, as set out in Spain’s Royal Decree 187/2016 of 6 May in response to a European directive that aims to reduce electronic waste and, in the process, help consumers save money.
In Spain the gadgets to which this amendment will apply are smartphones (including iPhones), tablets, digital cameras, headsets, portable video game consoles, wireless speakers, eReaders, and accessories such as keyboards, mice and portable navigation devices.
In the case of laptops, the deadline for adapting to this new regulation has been moved to 28 April 2026, while smartwatches and fitness wristbands are exempt from this obligation due to their size and conditions of use.
This will allow consumers to use a single charger for a variety of newly purchased small and medium-sized portable electronic devices.
In addition, consumers will be able to decide whether they even want to add a charger when purchasing a new device. To this end, the new regulation requires that information on the charging system and the presence or not of a charger in the product package will have to be indicated by a label or a pictogram, both on the packaging and in the instructions and, in the case of distance selling, close to the price details.
In addition, all devices that support fast charging will have the same charging speed, allowing users to charge at the same speed with any compatible charger.
The EU estimates that consumers will save up to 250 million euros a year on unnecessary purchases of these devices. The other benefit is given as the positive impact on the environment, considering that chargers that end up in the dustbin or in public wastebins equate to around 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year in Europe.
