Turkey plans to switch common USB-C port charges, following EU’s lead

Duvar English

Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) of Turkey has drafted a new regulation to switch USB Type-C ports as the standard charger for portable devices.

European Union (EU) has recently decided that all mobile phones, tablets, and cameras sold in the EU would have to be equipped with a USB Type-C charging port by the end of 2024. The obligation will extend to laptops in 2026.

BTK has also prepared a draft regulation on the amendment of the Radio Equipment Regulation.

According to the draft; mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headphones with microphones, portable video game consoles, portable speakers, eBook readers, keyboards, mouse devices, portable navigation systems, in-ear headphones, and laptops will be compatible with USB Type-C.

In addition, these radio equipment shall be manufactured per the regulations on the specified charging capabilities, according to the reporting of the daily Türkiye Gazetesi.

The draft also regulated the placing of certain radio equipment on the market without a charger. Accordingly, if producers place their equipment on the market with a charger, they will also offer consumers the opportunity to purchase the same equipment without a charger.

According to the draft, the provisions of the regulation would start to apply from Dec. 28, 2024, for products such as phones, tablets, and digital cameras. The provisions will only apply to laptops from April 28, 2026.

Around €2.4 billion is spent annually on external chargers in the EU. Discarded and unused chargers generate around 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year. The common charger solution will reduce waste by around 1,000 tonnes per year. 

Approximately 15 million mobile phones are sold in Turkey every year. With common charging, approximately 1.5 million units of potential waste charger production is expected to decrease. The Turkish government hoped that the production would save approximately 7.5 million charging units and 1.1 billion Turkish liras (€33.3M) per year.