External Power Supplies: ESPR Requirements, Existing Ecodesign Rules, Common Charger Regulation, and DPP Compliance Guide
External power supplies are already subject to EU ecodesign requirements under Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1782, which sets minimum active mode efficiency and maximum no-load power consumption. The ESPR delegated act will add a Digital Product Passport requirement. The EU common charger regulation (USB-C mandate) adds a complementary connector type disclosure requirement.
Existing Ecodesign Requirements for External Power Supplies
Requirement
Standard
In Force Since
Minimum active mode efficiency
87–92% depending on output power
1 April 2020
Maximum no-load power consumption
0.075W (single-voltage); 0.15W (multi-voltage)
1 April 2020
Efficiency marking
Roman numeral I–VI on product
1 April 2020
Truth Anchor: Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 remains in force under ESPR Article 74. External power supplies must meet minimum efficiency requirements. — EUR-Lex CELEX:32024R1781
EU Common Charger Regulation: Intersection with ESPR
EU Directive 2022/2380 (the common charger directive) requires USB-C charging for smartphones, tablets, laptops, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, and handheld game consoles from 28 December 2024 (smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, portable speakers, handheld game consoles) and 28 April 2026 (laptops). This is separate from ESPR but creates a complementary data disclosure requirement: the DPP for a power supply must disclose the connector type and charging standard (USB-C, USB Power Delivery, etc.).
Expected DPP Data Fields for Power Supplies
Data Field
Annex III Category
Status
Active mode efficiency (%)
Energy performance
Already required
No-load power consumption (W)
Energy performance
Already required
Efficiency marking (I–VI)
Energy performance
Already required
Output voltage/current
Product identifier
Already required
Connector type (USB-C, etc.)
Product identifier
New under common charger directive
Recycled copper content
Recycled content
New under ESPR delegated act
Recycled plastic content
Recycled content
New under ESPR delegated act
Carbon footprint per unit
Carbon footprint
New under ESPR delegated act
Hazardous substances
Substances of concern
New under ESPR delegated act
What Power Supply Manufacturers Must Do Now
Verify compliance with existing Regulation (EU) 2019/1782: Confirm active mode efficiency and no-load power consumption meet current requirements.
Verify compliance with EU common charger directive: Confirm USB-C connector for all applicable product categories from the applicable compliance dates.
Audit recycled copper and plastic content: Determine recycled copper content in transformer windings and cables, and recycled plastic content in housings.
Conduct lifecycle carbon footprint assessment: Calculate the carbon footprint of power supply models. Focus on manufacturing phase (copper and transformer core production).
Prepare DPP data templates: Create DPP data templates for all power supply models. Power supply manufacturers with large product ranges should automate DPP data collection.
Power Supplies Under ESPR: External Power Supplies and Standby Power
External power supplies (EPS) — the power adapters used with laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices — are currently subject to the Ecodesign Regulation for external power supplies (Regulation (EU) 2019/1782). This regulation sets minimum efficiency requirements for EPS and maximum no-load power consumption requirements. The ESPR EPS delegated act will add the Digital Product Passport requirement and new requirements for recycled content and substances of concern.
Power Supply DPP: Expected Data Fields
Data Category
Expected Data Fields
Status
Efficiency
Active mode efficiency (%), no-load power (W), efficiency level (VI, CoC Tier 2)
Existing (EU 2019/1782)
Output
Output voltage (V), output current (A), output power (W), connector type
Existing
Recycled content
Recycled plastics % in housing
New (ESPR Annex III)
Substances of concern
Flame retardants in PCB and housing, lead in solder
RoHS + ESPR Annex III
Carbon footprint
CO2e per year of operation at typical load
New (ESPR Annex III)
Interoperability
USB-C PD compatibility, charging standard (USB PD, Qi, proprietary)
New (EU Common Charger)
Common Charger Regulation and ESPR Alignment
The EU Common Charger Regulation (Directive (EU) 2022/2380) requires all small electronic devices sold in the EU to use USB-C charging from December 2024. The ESPR power supply delegated act is expected to align with this requirement and add interoperability data to the DPP — specifying which charging standards the power supply is compatible with. Manufacturers who have not yet transitioned to USB-C charging must do so before placing new products on the EU market.
Power Supplies and External Power Supplies: ESPR Scope
External power supplies (EPS) — the AC/DC adapters used to power laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices — have been subject to EU Ecodesign requirements since 2009 under Regulation (EC) 278/2009. The ESPR delegated act for power supplies will extend these requirements to include Digital Product Passport obligations and will likely expand the scope to cover internal power supplies used in desktop computers, servers, and industrial equipment. The key performance metric for external power supplies is energy conversion efficiency — the percentage of input AC power that is converted to useful DC output power. The current minimum efficiency requirements under EU 2019/1782 range from 79% to 87% depending on the output power level.
Universal Charger Requirements and ESPR
The EU Radio Equipment Directive amendment (EU 2022/2380) requires all smartphones, tablets, cameras, and portable speakers sold in the EU to use USB-C charging from December 2024. Laptops must use USB-C charging from April 2026. This universal charger requirement directly intersects with the ESPR delegated act for power supplies — the DPP for a USB-C charger will need to declare its USB Power Delivery (USB-PD) protocol version, maximum output power in watts, efficiency class, and compatibility with the devices it is designed to charge. Manufacturers of proprietary charging systems that do not comply with the USB-C mandate will face dual non-compliance under both the Radio Equipment Directive and ESPR.
Standby and Off-Mode Power Consumption
The EU Ecodesign Regulation for standby and off-mode power consumption (EU 1275/2008, as amended) sets maximum standby power limits for household and office equipment. The ESPR delegated act for power supplies will incorporate these standby power requirements into the DPP data structure, requiring manufacturers to declare the standby power consumption in watts and the off-mode power consumption in watts. These values are tested to EN 50564 (measurement of low power consumption) and must be consistent with the values declared in the product technical documentation and on the EU Energy Label where applicable.
Power Supply Category
Current Min. Efficiency (EU 2019/1782)
ESPR DPP Expected
External power supplies ≤49W
79–84% (depending on output power)
2026–2027
External power supplies 49–250W
85–87%
2026–2027
Desktop computer internal PSU
80 PLUS Bronze minimum (82%)
2027–2028
Server power supplies
EU 2019/424 (80%+ at 50% load)
2027–2028
Industrial power supplies
No current EU Ecodesign requirement
2028–2029
Frequently Asked Questions: Power Supplies ESPR Requirements
Yes. Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 sets minimum energy efficiency requirements for external power supplies. These requirements entered into force on 1 April 2020 and remain in force under ESPR Article 74.
The ESPR delegated act for power supplies is expected in 2027-2029. From the compliance date, every external power supply placed on the EU market must have a valid DPP.
Commission Regulation (EU) 2019/1782 requires external power supplies to meet minimum active mode efficiency and maximum no-load power consumption. The minimum active mode efficiency varies by output power: 87% for 1W output, rising to 92% for 250W output.
The EU common charger regulation (Directive 2022/2380) requires USB-C charging for smartphones, tablets, and laptops from 28 December 2024. This is separate from ESPR but complementary. The DPP for a power supply must disclose the connector type and charging standard.
The delegated act is expected to require disclosure of recycled copper content (transformer windings, cables) and recycled plastic content (housing). Power supplies contain significant copper, which has a high recycled content rate in the EU.
Register Your Digital Product Passport
The EU DPP Registry goes live on 19 July 2026. EU customs will verify DPP compliance automatically from that date. Products without a valid DPP can be refused entry. Register now at Africa’s first ESPR-compliant DPP registry.
Current Ecodesign Requirements for External Power Supplies
External power supplies (EPS) — the AC/DC adapters used to power laptops, smartphones, and other electronic devices — are currently subject to ecodesign requirements under EU Regulation 2019/1782, which sets minimum energy efficiency requirements for EPS. The regulation requires EPS to meet minimum efficiency levels at different load conditions (10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of rated output power) and sets maximum no-load power consumption limits. The ESPR delegated act for power supplies will build on these requirements and add DPP data disclosure requirements.
The EU has also adopted a common charger requirement under the Radio Equipment Directive (EU 2022/2380), which requires all smartphones, tablets, cameras, headphones, and portable speakers sold in the EU to use USB-C as the standard charging connector from December 2024. This requirement is separate from ESPR but is relevant to power supply manufacturers because it will standardise the charging interface and potentially reduce the number of different power supplies needed. The ESPR DPP for power supplies will complement the common charger requirement by providing machine-readable data on the power supply's efficiency, output specifications, and compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ESPR delegated act for power supplies is expected to be adopted in 2025–2026, superseding EU Regulation 2019/1782. Manufacturers should plan for compliance by 2027–2028. The existing regulation remains in force until the ESPR delegated act takes effect.
The scope of the ESPR delegated act for power supplies will be defined in the preparatory study. It is likely to cover external power supplies sold separately. Built-in power supplies (integrated into products such as desktop computers and televisions) may be covered by the delegated acts for those products rather than by a separate power supply delegated act.
The EU common charger requirement (under the Radio Equipment Directive) requires USB-C charging ports on specified devices. ESPR will add DPP data requirements for power supplies. Both regulations apply independently — manufacturers must comply with both. The ESPR DPP for a USB-C power supply should include the power supply's USB Power Delivery (USB PD) profile and compatibility information.
The ESPR delegated act is expected to tighten the minimum efficiency requirements for power supplies, potentially requiring Level VI efficiency (the US Department of Energy's efficiency standard, which is widely used globally) as the minimum for EU market access. The delegated act may also set requirements for power factor correction and harmonic distortion.
Yes. The DPP data carrier must be affixed to the power supply in a durable location. For small power supplies where space is limited, the QR code may be on the label or the packaging. The DPP data must be accessible for the full lifecycle of the power supply.