The mobile device manufacturing industry has agreed to create a common charger for all phones produced from 2010, saving the European Commission from having to introduce legislation.
As a result, Europeans will no longer have to stare at drawers full of old phone chargers that don’t work with the latest model.
From 2010, the Micro-USB will become the standard output design for mobile phones from Apple, LG, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Qualcomm, Research in Motion (RIM), Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Texas Instruments.
“I am very pleased that industry has found an agreement, which will make life much simpler for consumers,” said EU vice-president in charge of industrial policy, Günter Verheugen,.
“Consumers will be able to charge mobile phones anywhere from the new common charger. This also means considerably less electronic waste, because people will no longer have to throw away chargers when buying new phones.
“I am also very pleased that this solution was found on the basis of self-regulation. As a result, the Commission does not consider it necessary to introduce legislation.”
The EU Commission and the main industry players have agreed to settle the problem through self-regulation and today signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
The agreement commits the manufacturers to produce a standard charge output and ensure compatibility of new data-enabled mobile phones.
By John Kennedy
