Comprehensive Guide to Understanding the EU USB-C (Common Charger) Directive Requirements, Helping You Easily Achieve Product Certification

To aid in better understanding these regulations and requirements, the guidance document is presented in a Q&A format. We have summarized and highlighted key issues of interest to manufacturers in the following text:

1. The ‘common charger’ rules refers to radio equipment that:

• The Directive (EU) 2022/2380 falls within the categories or classes of radio equipment: handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds, laptops. and

• The equipped with a removable or embedded rechargeable battery. and

• Can be recharged via wired charging.

2. Specify which products are not subject to the rules of the RED introduced by the Common Charger Directive:

• The radio equipment with a removable battery that can only be recharged separately from the radio equipment (in a battery charger).

• The radio equipment that incorporates internal power supplies and is powered directly with alternative current (AC) from the mains.

• The radio equipment that can only be recharged via wireless charging, cannot be recharged via wired charging.

• The manufacturer supplies an appropriately rated charging cable with the radio equipment.

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3. If the rated voltage is lower than or equal to 5V, or the rated current is lower than or equal to 3A, or the rated power is lower than or equal to 15W, then the radio equipment does not need to incorporate USB PD.

If during the charging process, the charging voltage, current or power slightly exceed the thresholds (>5 V, >3 A or >15 W) that the radio equipment does not need to incorporate USB PD.

4. In cases where a specific radio equipment, which is part of a system, is solely intended to operate within that system and cannot function on its own, the whole system should be considered as a category or a class of radio equipment on its own. That system would therefore need to apply the provisions of the RED introduced by the Common Charger Directive only if it is subject to the ‘common charger’ rules.

5. Only USB-C receptacles that are specified in standard EN IEC 62680-1-3 can be used (12, 16 and 24 pin).

6. The objective is to encourage innovation and to allow the continued use of other charging protocols. However, additional proprietary charging protocols should not prevent, restrict or limit the maximum power achievable with the USB PD charging protocol and the harmonised charging hardware (receptacle, chips, etc.) integrated in the radio equipment.

7. The Common Charger Directive Entry into application: 28 December 2024, for handheld mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, handheld videogame consoles, portable speakers, e-readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation systems, earbuds; and 28 April 2026, for laptops. Regarding existing products, the new rules will apply to all devices that will first be ‘placed on the market’ in the EU, on or after the entry into application (see above), regardless of whether they are of a ‘model’ already marketed. The RED does not recognise the notion of ‘model’, which is a commercial term.

The above content is extracted and summarized from the latest announcement (EUOJ) guide - Guidance for the Interpretation of the Common Charger Directive.