On Tuesday, the European Parliament voted in favor of enforcing a standard charger for a series of electronic devices for the entire bloc by the end of 2024. The move will force Apple to switch from their Lightning port to USB-C charging in all its upcoming iPhones.

According to an EU press release, the Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of the law, with 602 voting to pass it against 13 against it. Under the new law, all cameras, mobile phones and tablets sold in the EU will require a USB-C charging port by the end of next year. Laptop computers are also part of the new rules, but only by the spring of 2026. 

The reason behind these changes, according to the European Union, is to reduce e-waste. With a unified USB-C charging port, people will need to carry a single charging for all of their devices. The EU’s problem with the generation of e-waste by discarded charges produces over 11,000 tonnes a year. 

USB-C charging ports are more commonly used in almost every Android device currently in the market. Apple also employs USB-C charging in its iPads and MacBooks. 

The new rules don’t need the EU Council’s approval before being enacted into law. However, experts believe the approval will happen regardless as a mere formality. 

The EU’s press release says that the new law will also standardize fast charging for all devices that support it. However, it is unclear which standard will apply. Right now, smartphone and chipmakers, like Xiaomi and Qualcomm, have their own proprietary standards for fast charging. 

Currently, USB-PD is the most interoperable standard, used by many companies like Apple, Samsung and Google. Many believe it to be the likely candidate for the standardization of the EU’s mandate. 

Other than USB-C charging, another issue that’s worth watching out for are the rules for wireless charging. Since there’s been rumors that Apple may come out with a portless iPhone in the future, the common standard for wireless charging might also be reinforced. 

The press release states that the European Commision will also harmonize interoperability requirements by the end of next year for wireless charging. However, this action is not as difficult to implement, since almost all mobiles that support wireless charging rely on the same standard interoperable Qi.

If you’re an iPhone user living in the EU, this might actually be good news for you. iPhone charges are widely known as expensive, and a unified USB-C charging could bring these costs down. Meanwhile, check the link below for some useful iPhone hacks that will help make your life easier.