Apple fired back at European Union (EU) moves to outlaw Lightning cables, claiming the move would create more electronic waste and hinder innovation, BBC News reported.

Last week, members of the European Parliament called on the European Commission to enforce a single universal charger to increase convenience for consumers and reduce 51,000 metric tonnes of electronic waste produced every year.

In a statement to BBC News and other outlets, Apple said forcing a single universal connector in smartphones would restrict innovation and “harm consumers in Europe and the economy as a whole”.

Apple argued it had shipped more than 1 billion Lightning compatible devices and the millions of accessories attached to them face being made redundant, which would result in more electronic waste.

In 2009, several manufacturers including Apple, Nokia and Samsung signed a pledge to provide chargers compatible with the micro-USB standard.

However, Apple took advantage of a loophole which enabled it to introduce its Lightning port in 2012, by creating and selling micro-USB adapters, BBC News stated.