EU proposes legislation requiring all mobile devices, including iPhones, use a universal charger

While the EU seeks a universal charger for all smartphones, Apple has argued this can hamper innovation.

Lawmakers in Europe on Thursday unveiled a proposal to force smartphone makers to adopt a universal, brand-agnostic charging cable in an effort to reduce electronic waste.

The plans call for a USB-C cable to become the universal standard for all smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. While years of collaborating with the industry on a voluntary approach have brought the number of mobile charger types from 30 to 3 within the last decade, according to a statement from the European Commission, the new legislation would establish a single common charging solution.

Apple, with its proprietary Lightning cables, remains one of the major holdouts to have a unique charger for its devices -- though some of its more recent devices do include USB-C charging. The company has previously argued that the proposal would impede innovation.

"Chargers power all our most essential electronic devices," Thierry Breton, the EU's internal market commissioner, said in a statement. "With more and more devices, more and more chargers are sold that are not interchangeable or not necessary. We are putting an end to that."