Common External Power Supply
The Micro- USB standard refers to a control based on the USB standard, after starting in 2011, the connectors should be unified for the power supply of mobile phones and other electronic devices in Europe.
In June 2009, 14 smartphone maker after pressure from the European Commission and in particular Industry Commissioner Günter Verheugen had agreed on the development of a unified interface for mobile phones. The company is Apple, Emblaze Mobile, Huawei Technologies, LG Electronics, Motorola Mobility, NEC, Nokia, Qualcomm, RIM, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, TCT Mobile ( Alcatel ), Texas Instruments and Atmel. In addition to the power supply, this interface is also capable of data transmission. In December 2010, the European standardization organizations defined the technical standards. In February 2011, representatives of the high-tech association Digital Europe in Brussels, the first Europe-wide mobile phone charger. Technically, the plug as a micro - USB connector is running. The EU Commission expects, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, so that in consequence the prices of chargers will fall. The Commission hopes that producers in other regions adopt the European standard for chargers. Since each mobile phone user purchases a new device, on average, every two years, the European Commission estimates that in 2013, most phones can be charged via the standard interface.
Although Apple supports the initiative for uniform chargers, the company continues to use its own connector type. Nevertheless, to comply with the EU Directive, the manufacturer sells adapter on micro-USB connector. Even after switching to a new connector with the iPhone 5 is still an adapter needed.
The uniform electrical equipment also should be avoided in the previous volumes. Traditionally made up belonging to the phones chargers per year, more than 51,000 tons of electronic waste out.
Electrical waste should be avoided by the Qi standard for wireless transmission of energy to smartphones or other compatible devices - will in future so many different chargers are superfluous and universal adapter for eg micro - USB are already available on the market.
After the expiry of the voluntary agreement of the European Parliament in March 2014 adopted a draft law, which provides for the introduction of a single charger especially for mobile phones in 2017.