Apple Told to Ditch Unique iPhone Charger in EU

The European Parliament on Tuesday voted to approve the new rules, which aim to force companies that sell portable electronic devices in the EU to ensure they are equipped with a USB-C charging port, technology that is commonly used in new laptop computers and Android phones. The aim is to have a common standard that would allow consumers to use the same cable to charge all their portable electronic devices.

“The common charger will finally become a reality in Europe,” said

Alex Agius Saliba,

a member of the parliament from Malta who led negotiations on the legislation earlier this year. He said the new rules “will benefit everyone—from frustrated consumers to our vulnerable environment.”

The EU legislation is a blow to Apple, which uses its Lightning charging ports on new iPhones. Replacement chargers for iPhones tend to be more expensive than the standard USB-C cables that are used for many other small electronic devices.

The new rules will only apply to devices sold within the bloc. But EU regulations often lead to broader global changes because companies prefer to avoid operating under multiple sets of rules. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a question about whether it plans to change the charging ports on phones sold in other markets beyond Europe, such as the U.S.

The EU’s influence on global rule making and business practices is often referred to as the “Brussels Effect,” a term that was popularized by Columbia Law School professor

Anu Bradford

and refers to the impact that regulations made in Brussels can have on the rest of the world.

Apple opposed the proposal when it was introduced last year, saying it would harm innovation and inconvenience users.

Some of the company’s tablets and computers are equipped with USB-C charging ports, but its new smartphones use the company’s Lightning charger ports.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the legislation on Tuesday.

The new rules still need to be approved by EU member countries, but that is expected to be a formality. The rules are set to apply to mobile phones, tablets, cameras and a range of other devices that are charged using a wired cable by the end of 2024, the EU parliament said. Laptop makers will have to comply with the new rules but will be given until the spring of 2026 to do so.

The EU also intends to set a common standard for wireless charging by the end of 2024, officials said.

The European Commission, the EU’s executive body, has said the planned legislation should allow consumers to reuse chargers and save as much as €250 million, equivalent to about $248 million, annually on charging cables. Mobile-phone chargers are responsible for an estimated 11,000 tons of electronic waste each year in the EU, the commission said.

The EU is pushing forward with a range of new rules that will affect the world’s biggest technology companies. Lawmakers earlier this year approved two landmark pieces of digital regulation: the Digital Markets Act, which imposes new competition requirements on large technology companies; and the Digital Services Act, which sets standards for how social-media companies deal with online content.

Write to Kim Mackrael at kim.mackrael@wsj.com