As of April 28, 2026, the European Union has implemented a significant phase of its common USB-C charger regulation for laptops. New laptops sold within the EU, with power requirements of up to 100W, must now support charging via a USB-C port. This directive extends the obligation that has been in effect since December 28, 2024, which initially applied to mobile phones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, handheld consoles, e-readers, keyboards, mice, navigation systems, and a wide array of other consumer electronics.
The EU’s objective extends beyond unifying the physical USB-C connector for laptop charging; it also aims to reduce fragmentation in the charger market. Brussels asserts that a common charger simplifies life for consumers. Environmentally, it is intended to decrease electronic waste and prevent the unnecessary purchase of adapters. The European Commission estimates that discarded or unused chargers account for approximately 11,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. It also stated that offering devices without chargers could save consumers around 250 million euros per year. However, as observed with companies like Apple and Samsung, removing chargers from devices has not led to price reductions, often resulting in separate purchases, additional packaging, and increased logistics costs, which raises questions about the environmental benefits.
All Laptops Sold in Europe Now Obligated to Charge via USB-C
This means that any new laptop falling under the scope of the regulation must include a functional USB-C port for charging. Furthermore, if a device supports fast charging, defined by the regulation as charging above 5V, 3A, or 15W, it must also support the USB Power Delivery standard. This aims to prevent manufacturers from imposing proprietary protocols that would limit charging speeds with compatible third-party chargers.
Evidently, this applies to laptops with power requirements up to 100W. Consequently, laptops intended for office work, multimedia, long battery life, or low-end gaming will function seamlessly via a 100W USB-C port. This implies that performance, even under heavy load, will not be compromised, as the charger will be capable of supplying the system’s energy demands.
Exception for Laptops Requiring Higher Power
Yes, gaming laptops or workstations, where the GPU alone consumes over 100W of power, are permitted to use a proprietary charging port to deliver the necessary energy. This is permissible as long as a functional USB-C port for charging is also present, which is already a common practice. As technology advances and standardization evolves, it is anticipated that USB-C will become mandatory for laptops with consumption up to 240W in the future.
Another relevant change associated with this law pertains to the contents of the box. Manufacturers will be required to offer consumers the option to purchase the device without a charger and must provide clear information through pictograms and labels. If an adapter is included, it will specify the required power for the laptop and whether it supports USB PD.
This obligation aims to prevent each purchase from including an unnecessary charger for the user. This is currently not fully realized, as the mandate applies to laptops advertised or listed for pre-order or purchase from today onwards. This is why many companies have preemptively listed new generations of laptops with Intel Panther Lake CPUs, which will become available next month.
