The European Commission presented the prototype of a new mobile phone charger that it hopes will fit all mobile phones in the future.

The European Commission says future chargers will have a micro-USB socket and should be adaptable to all phones. The EU Commission and industry group DigitalEurope hail it as being good for both consumers and the environment.

A new generation of phones would use a standard micro-USB socket to ensure compatibility. The EU hopes the new standard will go beyond Europe's boundaries and become universal.

It also wants to go even further, by having one charger for all electronic devices with a similar charging capacity. Fourteen companies have voluntarily agreed to back the project. The new chargers should become available later this year.