All Laptops in the EU Must Support USB-C Charging, Effective Today
The second phase of the EU’s Common Charger Directive (Directive(EU)2022/2380) officially came into effect today. From April 28, 2026, all products sold in the EU must be equipped with a USB-C charging port supporting the USB-PD specification, and older laptops without USB-C charging capabilities must be immediately removed from shelves and sales halted.
The first phase of the directive was implemented on December 28, 2024, covering 12 categories of small and medium-sized electronic devices, including mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, handheld game consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, and navigation systems.
The second phase now officially includes laptops within the scope of mandatory implementation.
The new regulations also require manufacturers to offer options for selling products without chargers, which is expected to save EU consumers approximately €2.5 billion in expenses annually.
Furthermore, the regulations do not prohibit manufacturers from retaining proprietary charging ports. For example, Apple MacBook’s MagSafe magnetic charging port can continue to be used, but USB-C must be offered as an optional charging method, and proprietary ports cannot be the sole charging method.