A group of Democratic senate members is urging the US Department of Commerce to follow Europe’s lead in forcing all smartphone manufacturers to produce devices that conform to a universal charging standard.
In a letter sent to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo last Thursday, Senator Ed Markey , along with senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders , demanded that the department develop a strategy that would require a common charging port on all mobile devices. The letter comes a week after European Union lawmakers reached an agreement on new legislation mandating all smartphones and tablets to be equipped with USB-C ports by the fall of 2024.
” The EU has acted wisely in the public interest by forcing powerful tech companies to take action on this consumer and environmental issue. The United States should do the same, ” the senators said.
In the letter, senators argue that proprietary chargers like Apple’s Lightning jacks create unnecessary amounts of e-waste and place a financial burden on consumers who refurbish their devices or own multiple devices from different manufacturers.
Unlike EU law, the Senators are not asking the Commerce Department to codify USB-C as the universal charging standard . Instead, their desire to develop a “comprehensive strategy ” has a broader meaning and allows the department to develop its own standard. After the EU decision, critics argued that the rule would slow down innovation and prevent smartphone manufacturers from developing faster charging standards in the future.
Asked during an interview whether senators expect a backlash from the tech industry, one of Markey’s spokespersons said: ” Big tech companies are allergic to regulation and we’re already seeing companies turn down EU action. “He thinks we should continue to stand up, ” he said.
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