Though some puzzled if the day would really ever come, Europe seems ready to lastly transfer ahead with a typical USB-C charging customary.

Following months of deliberations and practically a decade of hypothesis, the European Council on Monday gave a final approval for a typical charger directive. That directive will make USB-C ports obligatory for cellphones, tablets, headphones, video games consoles, and different digital gadgets by Fall, 2024. In idea, the brand new directive will make USB-C the one charger to rule all of them, which may hopefully assist empty out these drawers stuffed to the brim with messy, tangled, largely ineffective cords.

When the usual rolls out, European shoppers might be granted the choice to decide on to buy a brand new gadget with or and not using a charger, although that unbundling may turn out to be obligatory additional down the road. The European Commission says it’ll additionally work on “harmonizing” wi-fi charging interoperability in an effort to push the tech ahead.

“Looking for the right charger, either at home or at work, can be quite annoying,” Czech Minister for Industry and Trade Jozef Síkela stated in an announcement. “On top of this, these chargers amount to 11.000 tonnes of e-waste every year. Having a charger that fits multiple devices will save money and time and also helps us reduce electronic waste.”

The European Parliament voted in favor of the brand new USB-C customary earlier this month by an awesome margin of 602-13. Mobile telephones, headphones, and different smaller gadgets might want to adhere to the usual by Fall 2024. That customary’s slated to increase to laptops offered throughout the EU by Spring 2026.

Supporters of the directive usually cite lowering environmentally dangerous digital waste as a key motivator for the laws. Private firms like Samsung, Google, and even Apple have taken steps of their very own to cut back waste by opting to not proceed promoting charging bricks with sure new gadgets, although not and not using a truthful quantity of pushback.

The EU’s new customary does technically apply to all tech firms working within the area however Apple’s broadly seen because the true, multi-trillion greenback elephant within the room. For years now, Apple has stubbornly caught to the iPhone’s Lightning charger at the same time as opponents coalesced round USB-C. Rumors cited earlier this yr by Bloomberg and trusted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recommend testing is already underway to interchange Lightning with USB-C in future iPhones.