EU sets date for common phone charge cable

The days of searching through cables to find a charging point may be over.

The European Union has agreed that new portable electronic devices need to have a Type-C charging port.

The UK government was asked if it would pass similar legislation.

The EU ruling would apply to Northern Ireland under the current arrangements.

The parliamentary report states that the new requirements may apply to devices sold in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol.

The treaty keeps Northern Ireland within the EU's single market for goods while mainland Britain is outside.

The UK and EU are at odds over how to reform Northern Ireland.

Apple products such as the iPad will have to conform to the new regulations. There will be an exemption for existing devices.

After the summer recess of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, the agreement will be brought before them.

There was no new comment from Apple.

When the proposal was first introduced, it argued against it, saying that strict regulation would hurt consumers in Europe and around the world.

Some of Apple's products use a custom charging port that is exclusive to them, such as the iPhone series.

A range of small and medium-sized portable electronics will be covered by the new rule.

• mobile phones
• tablets
• headphones and headsets
• handheld videogame consoles
• portable speakers

Any of these charged using a wired cable will need to have ausb type-c port.

Makers of laptops will have 40 months after the ruling to make changes.

Customers will be able to decide whether or not to have a charging cable with their new electronics.

The EU said that the law is part of a larger effort to make products in the EU more sustainable.

The EU said it would save consumers up to 250m a year and cut 11,000 tons of waste.