Maltese MEP calls for common EU mobile phone charger

A Maltese MEP has called for a common mobile phone charger following a lack of progress by phone makers including Apple and Samsung.

Alex Agius Saliba took them to task for ignoring EU recommendations to stop releasing different chargers for their smartphones.

After addressing the European Parliament, he posted on Facebook: ‘Today I spoke in favour of a common charger for all mobiles that enter the European market.

‘I cannot be that companies that produce mobiles, especially multinational companies like Apple, continue to ignore European recommendations and continue to release different chargers for different models.

‘A common charger for all mobiles in the market would leave more money in consumer’s pockets since they won’t need to buy a new charger with every new mobile they buy.’

Maltese iPhone and Android users have long complained about using different chargers for their phones.

In response to EU pressure, 14 companies including Apple, Samsung, Huawei and Nokia signed a voluntary memorandum of understanding  in 2009, agreeing to harmonize chargers for new models of smartphones.

But that expired in 2012 and nothing has been done since.

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