The European Union has recently made significant updates to Regulations on Ecological Design Requirements for External Power Supplies and Charging Equipment., mandating that all external power supplies (EPS) must utilize a USB Type-C interface. This new regulation will come into effect in 2028, with a five-year grace period designed to enhance the convenience and energy efficiency of charging devices.
The core objective of this regulation is to ensure that all devices requiring charging or power supply—be it gaming consoles, monitors, routers, wireless chargers, or set-top boxes—must be equipped with a USB Type-C interface and have detachable cables, thereby establishing a unified interface system across all categories. According to the European Commission, over 400 million external power supplies are sold annually in the EU, and a standardized interface will significantly enhance consumer convenience, as well as the overall efficiency of resources and energy.
Chargers that meet the new standards will feature a unique EU Common Charger logo and clearly display their maximum output power, allowing users to quickly identify compliant products. This regulation applies to power devices with a maximum output of up to 240W, including third-party chargers and power adapters included with devices.
Certain special devices will be exempt, including uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), medical equipment, certain types of toys, electric scooters, emergency lighting control devices, and equipment specifically designed for humid environments. While the new regulations offer convenience to consumers by allowing the same charger to power various devices like smartphones, laptops, and routers, USB Type-C power solutions may not meet the actual needs for devices requiring a continuous power supply, such as fans and lighting fixtures, as well as high-end gaming laptops with a power output exceeding 240W.
Furthermore, regulations mandate that all external power supplies with an output power exceeding 10W must meet minimum energy efficiency standards, which include efficiency benchmarks at 10% of rated load, as well as stricter average and no-load efficiency requirements. Wireless charging pads must also reduce idle power consumption, and there is a requirement for the power supply circuitry to adopt an external design for easier replacement and reuse in the future.
The European Union had already mandated that phones and tablets must adopt the USB Type-C interface by the end of 2024, with the regulations extending to laptops by April 2026. This new legislation will be published in Official Journal of the European Union in the coming weeks and is expected to take effect 20 days after publication, giving manufacturers a three-year transition period to adapt to the new requirements.
