EU develops charger for all mobile phones

The European mobile phone industry will soon start the commercial roll-out of a new mobile phone charger compatible with different types of handsets.

The development was announced in Brussels as European Industry Commissioner Antonio Tajani was presented with the first prototype of the new charger, manufactured by a consortium of 14 mobile phone producers, including Apple, Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola, through the initiative of the EU.The new charger, to be called onechargerforall.eu, is expected to be available in shops all over the EU later this year. It should replace some 30 different models now in use across the EU.

The initiative, taken by mobile phone producers, follows a threat of EU regulation in this field. In March 2009, the European Commission gave the industry an ultimatum to voluntarily adopt a common standard for chargers or be subject to mandatory EU legislation.

As a consequence, Europe’s major mobile phone manufacturers agreed to adopt a universal charger for data-enabled mobile phones sold in the EU. They signed an agreement, committing the industry to provide charger compatibility on the basis of the micro-USB connector.

On top of the convenience to the over 500 million mobile phone users in the EU, the initiative is seen as a green move because fewer chargers will now have to be thrown away.

Mobile phone chargers are estimated to generate about 51,000 tonnes of electronic waste every year.

Welcoming the initiative, Mr Tajani called for a speedy introduction of this charger. The Commission said the common charger was a tangible proof of how standardisation could make the life of Europeans easier.