EU RoHS Recast Will be Published Soon

The European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Commission’s proposal for a recast of Directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS) in November 2010. The RoHS recast includes a much larger scope of products (including medical devices, and monitoring and control equipment), a process for the addition of new restricted materials, more stringent enforcement and recall regimes, and adoption of the CE mark.
Principle changes include:
   Repeal of original RoHS Directive
   The extension of the scope to all electrical and electronic equipment, including medical devices and monitoring and control instruments
   An eleventh equipment category which not covered under the previous ten categories was added to the RoHS directive and has 8 years transitional period.
   Recognition of and coordination with REACH Regulation (EC - No 1907/2006)
   More specific terms and requirements for manufacturers, importers, and distributors.
   Adoption of CE marking
   Declaration of Conformity
   New enforcement, documentation, recall, and authority notification requirements
   Appointment of an authorized representative who performs the tasks specified by the manufacturer to comply with the requirements of CE marking and RoHS directives.

RoHS Recast has sent to WTO for TBT notification by European Commission on March 21, 2011.  The text of the recast Directive will then be published in the EU’s Official Journal around June or July and enter into force 20 days later. The Member States will have 18 months to transpose the RoHS recast (once published) into their national laws.