European Union Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive

Environmental protection is integral to the development of European Union (EU) law and policies. Indeed, it provides the stimulus for a vast number of pieces of EU secondary legislation. Directive 2002/95/EC on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (the RoHS Directive) addresses the need to protect the environment and human health from harm posed by toxic metals and hazardous components, materials, and substances contained in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). It does this by requiring producers of EEE to ensure that their products and components placed on the EU market comply with RoHS.

The aim of the RoHS Directive, also referred to as the “Lead Free Directive,” is to restrict the use and reduce the content of six ...