Revised RoHS directive expected for April 2011

After being adopted by the European Parliament in November 2010, the RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) recast is currently undergoing a thorough revision process by legal linguists. The formal council adaptation is expected in the course of March and, finally, the publication in the Official Journal should take place in April 2011.

The RoHS recast involves several changes for manufactures, importers and distributers.
Changes and facts in a nutshell:

•    Open product scope with various lists of exemptions
•    Grace period for equipment not falling under RoHS previously
•    Improved exemption process copying the REACH authorization
      process
•    Proceeding for including additional substances to be banned
•    Prove of RoHS compliance with CE mark
•    Labeling of products with name and address of the manufacturer
•    Appointment of an authorized representative
•    Extended local language product documentation required
•    Obligatory self denunciation of non-compliant products and
      components
•    Immediate corrective measures including withdrawal and recall

For industry, importers and traders, the RoHS recast results in new obligations for management of hazardous substances information within the supply chain and new documentation duties.

The implementation into national law will have to be realized until 2012 by the member states. Enforcement will be regulated by member states according to the regulation 765/2008 which became effective January 2010.