Brussels (AFP)

Apple says "no", EU insists: MEPs pleaded on Thursday for a universal charger for mobile phones in Europe in the name of consumer and environmental rights, calling for EU legislation by the summer .

"The plethora of chargers offers (...) excessive costs and inconvenience for consumers, and generates an unnecessary ecological footprint", write the MEPs in a non-binding resolution, adopted in Brussels by a large majority.

It is therefore "urgently necessary to adopt a universal charger standard", they add, calling for measures "by July 2020".

The old idea to harmonize the connection to charge phones, tablets and other small devices, launched in 2009 by the European Commission, has so far met with reluctance from the industry, although the number of existing chargers has been considerably reduced in 10 years.

From thirty in 2009, they rose to three: the Micro USB connector, which has long equipped most phones; USB-C, a more recent connection; and the Lightning, used by Apple.

Even before the vote on this resolution, the Cupertino group firmly opposed any European regulation, which "would stifle innovation instead of encouraging it, and would harm consumers in Europe and the economy as a whole" .

- "Negative impact" -

The Californian giant, which has just announced a record profit in the first quarter of 2020, replaced in 2012 the antique 30-pin connector of its devices by the Lightning format, which equips "more than a billion devices".

He believes that a universal charger instead of his house standard "would have a direct negative impact by disrupting the hundreds of millions of active devices and accessories used by (his) customers".

It would also create "an unprecedented volume of electronic waste and greatly annoy users", continues the group in this statement published last week.

Several sources in the Parliament claim that Apple lobbied intensively before the vote on the resolution, adopted by 582 votes in favor, 40 against and 37 abstentions.

The world number one in the sale of smartphones in 2018, the South Korean Samsung, did not respond to requests from AFP, just like the number two in the sector, the Chinese Huawei, neck and neck with Apple in terms of sales, according to IDC.

The CCIA Europe, representative of the digital industry lobby in Brussels, did not wish to comment on the resolution of MEPs, who also claim that the compulsory sale of chargers with each device should be prohibited.

- 51,000 tonnes of waste -

For its part, Brussels says it is ready to take charge of the matter. According to one of its spokesmen, the Commission must publish "in the coming days" a "study to assess the situation" of the market. On this basis, it will present an impact study, then its measures.

European Commissioner Maros Sefcovic recently underlined that European legislation would be part of "the + Green + European pact", the roadmap to climate neutrality in the EU, one of the priorities of the new president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

According to MEPs, "the total production of electronic waste in Europe in 2016 amounted to 12.3 million tonnes, or 16.6 kg on average per inhabitant".

"The climate challenge demands that we put an end to the 51,000 tonnes of electronic waste per year linked to the diversity of chargers. Faced with the inertia of companies and in line with the + Green Deal +, politicians must impose their voluntarism", a insisted French MEP Geoffroy Didier (EPP, right) after the vote.

On the Renew side, Pierre Karleskind stressed the need for future regulations to "not curb innovation and prevent the emergence of new, more efficient chargers in the future".

© 2020 AFP