On Wednesday, 10 November, the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima supported the national position prepared by the Ministry of Transport in response to the proposal by the European Commission to revise the Radio Equipment Directive and establish a common standard for all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, and handheld videogame consoles.

As the representatives of the Ministry of Transport explained during the meeting, the purpose of the proposal is to prevent market fragmentation due to different interfaces and communication protocols for charging, and also to improve consumer convenience and reduce e‑waste. In addition, the Commission has proposed to unbundle the sale of chargers from the sale of electronic devices.

Members of the European Affairs Committee supported the proposal to introduce common technical specifications for chargers and charging ports produced by different manufacturers.

“Considering the EU’s commitment to a greener and more sustainable future, as well as the interests of individual consumers, it is high time to agree on a common charger for electronic devices. It would also allow to reduce the amount of e‑waste significantly, since it would no longer be necessary to purchase an additional charger for each new device, such as a phone or a tablet,” said Vita Anda Tērauda, Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima.

According to the Ministry of Transport, at the end of 2020, the total number of mobile connections in Latvia reached almost three million, and it has been increasing every year. Correspondingly, the number of devices that use these connections is also rising.

Currently, there are no legislative acts in effect in Latvia establishing any specifications for the charging interface of mobile phones or similar devices.

Saeima Press Service