The European Parliament approved proposed legislation which would force manufacturers of smartphones and tablets to ship devices sold in the European Union with a USB-C charging port by the end of 2024.

Drafted rules, which had been put forward by the European Commission, must now go to the European Council for sign off. Once this is done, the law would come into force shortly afterwards.

If adopted, legislation would initially apply to tablets, smartphones and cameras with the law eventually extending to laptops and other small electronics.

Most handset manufacturers already support USB-C, with Apple the notable exception among the biggest-selling brands in the European Union.

In a statement, the European Parliament claimed the imposition of common chargers for devices would save consumers across member states a combined €250 million on unnecessary charger purchases.

European Commission estimates claim unused chargers comprise 11,000 tonnes of electronic waste annually.

The floated legislation also contains rules for fast-charging, meaning all devices supporting the facility will have to replenish energy resources at the same pace.

This policy would likely come as a blow to challenger brands, with several flaunting the rapid pace their devices can be recharged at as differentiators during launch events held this year.