The universal charger will become a standard for most electronic devices from December 28 in France. Here is the list of objects concerned.
No more long discussions to find the right charger for the right device: iPhone charger, Samsung charger, of this or that generation… only to finally find… the wrong one!. From this Saturday, December 28, 2024, in France, most electronic devices sold must be able to be recharged with a universal charger, that is to say a USB-C.
Most brands took the plunge several years ago, in anticipation of the adoption of this rule. For example, Apple’s adoption of USB-C to charge the iPhone 15 didn’t come out of nowhere.
The purpose of this new rule, defined by decree a year ago in France and which results from a European directive, is in particular to reduce the number of waste. Indeed, drawers full of chargers that we don’t know what to do with end up in the trash, when a single charger could be the solution. According to the European Commission, 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste could be avoided each year thanks to this measure.
Which devices are affected?
From December 28, small electronic devices sold will have to be recharged with a USB-C socket. The charger in question will not systematically be included with the item you purchase, but this must be clearly indicated on the packaging.
This includes mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, headphones, digital cameras, wireless headphones, game consoles, GPS, keyboards, mice, portable speakers, etc. Only laptops are not covered. not yet affected. This rule will come into effect for these larger devices on April 26, 2026.
Concerning second-hand devices, the regulations are not clear. Indeed, if you want to buy a refurbished iPhone 13, it will have the old charger which is not USB-C. “The text could well prohibit the sale of refurbished mobiles that do not have a USB-C port”, estimates the specialized media The Digitals.