Incompatibility of chargers for mobile phones is not only a major inconvenience for users, but also a considerable environmental problem. In order to solve this situation, the European Commission called in 2009 for an agreement in order to harmonise chargers for data-enabled mobile phones. Following this mandate, the European Standardisation Bodies CEN-CENELEC and ETSI have now made available the harmonised standards required for the manufacture of data-enabled mobile phones compatible with a new common charger.

In response to citizens' demand for a common charger, the European Commission requested the industry to agree on a technical solution making compatible the chargers of different brands. As a result, in June 2009 world leading mobile phone producers committed themselves to ensure compatibility of data-enabled mobile phones, expected to be predominant in the market within two years, on the basis of the Micro-USB connector.

The Memorandum of Understanding regarding Harmonisation of a Charging Capability for Mobile Phones was signed by Apple, Emblaze Mobile, Huawei Technologies, LGE, Motorola Mobility, NEC, Nokia, Qualcomm, Research In Motion (RIM), Samsung, Sony Ericsson, TCT Mobile (ALCATEL), Texas Instruments and Atmel in 5 June 2009.

The Commission then issued a mandate to the European Standardisation Organisations CEN-CENELEC and ETSI in December 2009, requesting the development of European standards for the common charger. These two organisations have now delivered the standards which will allow for interoperability, which means that the new common charger will now be compatible with data-enabled mobile telephones of different brands. They also take account of safety risks and electro-magnetic emissions and ensure that common chargers have sufficient immunity to external interference.

The first generation of common chargers and mobile phones compatible with the new standards are expected to reach the European market in the first months of 2011.