TheEUupdatesthevalidityperiodofthe42ndexemptionclauseinAnnexIVoftheRoHSDirective

　　OnJune2,2021,theEuropeanUnionissuedDirective(EU)2021/884initsofficialgazette,amendingtheperiodofthe42ndexemptionclauseinAnnexIVoftheEURoHSDirective(2011/65/EU)andextendingitsvalidityto2026June30.

　　Article42ofAnnexIVoftheRoHSDirectiveexemptsmercuryfromelectricalrotaryconnectorsusedinintravascularultrasoundimagingsystemswithhighoperatingfrequency(>50MHz)operatingmodes.

　　Accordingtothereviseddirective,duetothelackofalternatives,itiscurrentlynotscientificallyandtechnologicallyfeasibletoreplaceoreliminatemercuryinrelatedapplications.

　　Thereviseddirectivecameintoeffect20daysafteritwaspublishedintheofficialgazette.

　　TheEURoHSDirectiveintendstoamendanumberofmercuryexemptionsinAppendixIII

　　FromJune14toJune23,2021,theEuropeanUnionissuedanumberofdraftamendmentstotheRoHSDirective(2011/65/EU)AnnexIIIinvolvingmercuryexemptionclauses,andlaunchedpublicconsultation.

　　Thecontentsofthesedraftsinclude:revocationofexemptionclauses1(ae),1(g),2(a)(1-5),andclauses1(ae),2(a)(1),2(a)(4),2(a)(5)willexpire12monthsaftertheauthorizationorderispassed,andclauses1(g),2(a)(2)and2(a)(3)willexpire18monthsaftertheauthorizationorderispassed；

　　Fromthedateofapprovaloftheauthorizationinstruction,extendthevalidityperiodof3(ac),4(e)forfiveyears;update1(f),2(b)(3),2(b)(4),4(a),Afterthecontentsofclauses4(f)and4(c)orexemptionconditions,thevalidityperiodof3yearsor5yearsaftertheauthorizationinstructionispassedwillbegivenrespectively.

　　TheEUhassetafour-weekpublicconsultationperiodforeachdraftrevisiondirective,duringwhichstakeholderscansubmitconsultationopinions.

　　Item6(c)inAppendixIIIoftheRoHS2.0Directive

　　Theleadcontentincopperalloysislessthan4%.Theapplicationinvolvedinthisexemptionclauseiswidelyusedintheelectricalandelectronicindustry,andrelatedpartieshavesubmittedanapplicationforextension.ItiscurrentlybeingevaluatedintheEURoHSconsultingprojectPack22,whichwillbeevaluatedonJuly27,2021.Attheendoftheday,theprojectreportwillbereleased.

　　TheEuropeanCommissionwillmakeadecisiononwhethertopostponetheprojectbasedonthepublicconsultationopinionsandtherecommendationsinthefinalprojectreport.

　　ArethereanyotherdevelopmentsintherecentEURoHS2.0exemptionclauses?

　　OnJune2,2021,theEuropeanUnionissuedDirective(EU)2021/884initsofficialgazette,extendingthevalidityperiodofthe42ndexemptionclauseofAnnexIVoftheEURoHSDirectivetoJune30,2026.

　　Whathappenstothevalidityperiodsetfortheexemptionclause?

　　Beforetheexemptionclauseexpires,companiesorindustryorganizationscanapplytotheEuropeanCommissiontoextendthevalidityperiodoftheexemption18monthsinadvance.

　　TheEuropeanCommissionshouldevaluatetheextensionapplicationreceivedanddecidewhethertoextendtheexemptionclause.

　　Duringtheofficialevaluationperiod,theexemptionclauseisstillvalid.

　　Iftheextensionisapproved,theofficialwillgiveanewvalidityperiod;iftheapplicationforextensionoftheexemptionclauseisrejectedortheexemptionclauseisrevoked,theclausewillbecomeinvalidafter12to18monthsfromthedateofdecision.

　　Theexemptionclausesforwhichnoapplicationforextensionhasbeenfiledbyarelatedpartywillautomaticallybecomeinvalidafterexpiration.