MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on a common charger as provided for in Article 3(3)(a) of the Radio Equipment Directive
22.1.2020 - (2019/2983(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Liesje Schreinemacher, Dita Charanzová, Vlad‑Marius Botoş, Andrus Ansip, Stéphanie Yon‑Courtin, Ivars Ijabs, Morten Løkkegaard, Pierre Karleskind, Claudia Gamon, Karen Melchior
on behalf of the Renew Group
See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0070/2020
B9‑0075/2020
European Parliament resolution on a common charger as provided for in Article 3(3)(a) of the Radio Equipment Directive
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Directive 2014/53/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 April 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of radio equipment and repealing Directive 1999/5/EC[1],
– having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the single market has been, and remains, the basis for Europe’s economic success, as well as the cornerstone of European integration and an engine for growth and jobs;
B. whereas the potential of the single market is not being fully exploited;
C. whereas for more than 10 years Members of the European Parliament have been asking for a common charger for mobile radio equipment, including mobile phones, tablets, e‑book readers, smart cameras, wearable electronics and other medium- or small-sized electronic devices;
D. whereas steps in the right direction have been made, with the number of chargers having been reduced from 30 to 3; whereas this is still not sufficient;
E. whereas despite the Commission’s efforts, voluntary agreements between industry players have not produced satisfactory results and consumers are still obliged to buy a new charger with all new devices;
F. whereas consumer trends in the past 10 years show an increase in multi‑device ownership and even shorter life cycles of some radio equipment such as smartphones;
G. whereas people now depend on their mobile devices in the event of an emergency, also because of the lack of public telephones; whereas people need a charged mobile phone for example to make payments, search for information or as a navigation device;
1. Stresses emphatically that there is an urgent need for EU action to reduce the amount of electronic waste, empower consumers to make sustainable choices, and allow them to fully participate in an efficient and properly functioning internal market;
2. Emphasises the need for a standard for a common charger for mobile radio equipment to be adopted as a matter of urgency in order to avoid any further fragmentation of the internal market;
3. Calls therefore on the Commission to adopt the delegated act supplementing Directive 2014/53/EU on radio equipment or another legislative measure by July 2020 at the latest, to ensure that a common charger is introduced as soon as possible;
4. Points out that the Commission should also promote innovation and should therefore ensure that the legislative framework for a common charger will not slow down innovation;
5. Calls on the Commission to present without further delay the results of the impact assessment on the introduction of a common charger for mobile telephones and other compatible devices;
6. Points out that the use of wireless charging technology offers additional potential benefits; calls, therefore, on the Commission to take measures to best ensure the interoperability of different wireless chargers with different mobile radio devices;
7. Believes that the Commission should consider legislative initiatives to increase the volume of cables and chargers collected and recycled in the Member States;
8. Urges the Commission to ensure that consumers are no longer obliged to buy a new charger with each new device, thereby reducing the number of chargers produced per year;
9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the governments and parliaments of the Member States.
- [1] OJ L 153, 22.5.2014, p. 62