The European Commission (EC) proposed a rule forcing the use of a universal charging solution for phones and small e-devices.
The rule aims at reducing e-waste by encouraging consumers to re-use existing chargers when buying a new device.
All smartphones sold in the EU must have USB-C chargers, the proposal said.
However, Apple has warned such a move would harm innovation.
Apple is the main manufacturer of smartphones using a custom charging port, as its iPhone series uses a “Lightning” connector.
“We remain concerned that strict regulation mandating just one type of connector stifles innovation rather than encouraging it, which in turn will harm consumers in Europe and around the world,” the firm told the BBC.
In the European Union, around 420 million mobile phones and other portable electronic devices were sold in the last year.
The average person owns around three mobile phone chargers, of which they use two regularly.
In 2009, there were more than 30 different chargers. However, now most models stick to three – the USB-C, Lightning and USB micro-B.
“Having one common charging standard would be a victory for common sense in the eyes of consumers,” Ben Wood, an analyst at CCS Insight said.
“Although Apple has made a strong argument for keeping its Lightning connector, given the one billion active iPhone users, some of its products including Mac and iPad now support USB-C.
“Hopefully it will eventually become a non-issue if Apple keeps adding USB-C to more devices.”
It may be a number of years before the proposals come into effect.
