European Commission has decided to finalize USB-C as the Charging port to be allowed in Europe

In 2009, European Commission decided to consider Charging Standard which will be applicable to all consumer electronics devices. Due to its push for a Charging Standard, the variety of chargers has come down from 30 to just 3 over these years. European Commission has allowed various manufacturers to work voluntarily to come to a certain conclusion about the Charging Standard. 

Finally, European Commission has decided that USB-C port will be the official Charging Standard across Europe. Since most of the manufacturers already have adopted USB-c port as charging port, it would be not much of issue for manufacturers. However, main complication lies with Apple, which is not very keen to let go of its renowned Thunderbolt Charging port.

After the announcement made by European Commission, Apple issued the following statement regarding the Charging Standard issue.

Apple stands for innovation and deeply cares about the customer experience. Some of the most innovative thinking at Apple goes toward building products with recycled and renewable materials. We share the European commission's commitment to protecting the environment and are already carbon neutral for all of our corporate emissions worldwide, and by 2030 every single Apple device and its usage will be carbon neutral.

We create products that enhance people's lives, making everyday tasks easier and more efficient including how you charge and transfer data on your device. We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world. 

We look forward to continued engagement with all stakeholders to help find a solution that protects consumer interest, as well as the industry's ability to innovate and bring exciting new technology to users. 

 According to VP of Europe fit for the Digital Age, "the time is ripe for legislative action for a common charger."

This latest proposal will not only make the Charging Standard same for the devices but also stop discrimination related to charging speed offered in different chargers. The proposal will resist manufacturers from limiting the speed of charging in fast chargers for different chargers. Thus, all the chargers will have same charging speed applicable. 

The decision of European Commission will greatly impact the environment as customer with a single charger will be able to charge multiple devices. It will also allow consumer to use the charger throughout Europe. This decision will generate lesser plastic and electronics waste. It will also reduce uncertainty among manufacturers about chargers.