On 4 October 2022, the EU Parliament voted in favour of adopting a common charger for the EU single market, through an amendment to the Radio Equipment Directive (RED), which establishes a single charging solution for small and medium size electronic devices regardless of their manufacturer. Those devices shall be equipped with USB-C receptable at the device side by 2024 to access the EU market. The same requirements will also become applicable to laptops in 2026.
CEN and CENELEC support the interoperability and safety of mobile phones and other devices, as well as EU’s initiatives to reduce the e-waste and to improve the consumer’s convenience. CEN and CENELEC appreciate that the new law recognises the value of European Standards, in particular EN IEC 62680-1-2 and EN IEC 62680-1-3. CEN and CENELEC also welcome the possibility to develop harmonized standards for wireless charging.
It demonstrates the crucial role standards play in supporting sustainable charging solutions in Europe, now and in the future, in particular for interoperability, innovation and conformity assessment purposes. CEN and CENELEC are committed to continue working with the European Commission to help the EU fully achieve its policy objectives, to the benefit of all consumers and for the protection of the environment.
European Standardization has played a leading role in creating the EU Single Market. Standards support market-based competition and help ensure the interoperability of complementary products and services. They reduce costs, improve safety, and enhance competition. With this paper, CEN and CENELEC would like to shed light on some aspects of the legislative proposal, its potential implication in the European market, as well as the impact on European and international standardization.
