Those "different other options" might include new laws. Incompatible phone chargers inconvenience consumers and contribute 51,000 tons of electronic waste every year in Europe, the EU Commission estimated back in 2009.

In 2009, 14 companies including Apple, Samsung and Huawei signed letters agreed to use micro-USB chargers as standard in Europe. Though many did adopt that system, a notable exception was Apple, which went with its own Lightning standard. Europe threatened to draft a law forcing the issue, but backed off when companies signed letters of intent promising to keep working on a standard.

If the study recommends it, the EU may create a law forcing everyone to use the same type of charger. The bloc has taken similar action in the past to reduce waste. It forced product manufacturers to provide two-year guarantees covering the cost of repairs, including shipping. It's also looking at making repairability ratings local repairs mandatory. The goal is to reduce the number of devices and appliances that get chucked into landfills because of "programmed obsolescence."