>the consumer, the market decides

Those 2 don't always agree. What consumer want and what some companies can get away with doesn't always align.

And here the market still decides, through the USB-IF, the only difference now is that it doesn't allow any hold-outs clinging to a old, slow and anti-consumer connectors.

And where exactly is the red tap?

You seem to have a idea stuck in your head that doesn't align with reality here.

As we generally keep Jesus and the like out of our politics, the stupidest laws don't come from the EU.

And this law is actually pretty good. pro consumer, standardization, allows for extensions (it just dictates a minimum) and allows for future port changes if the entire industry can agree on a new standard (basically if the USB-IF creates a new plug for these use cases that becomes the new standard).

Very. If that happens I know I'll be laughing when a apple user needs to charge their phone. instead of being able to borrow anyone's cable they'll have to find someone who carried their wireless charger around with them all the time. Good luck.

Mostly to their own customers though... so i wouldn't put it past them.