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Updated EU RoHS Exemptions in February 2019

On top of the recent update of exemptions 6a and 6b on aluminum and steel alloys, the European Commission has published various amendments on general EU RoHS Annex III exemptions on the use of lead and cadmium in electrical and electronic applications.

RoHS Annex III Expiration of Exemptions

These amendments, (EU)  2019/169 to 2019/178, can be summarized as follow:
 EU RoHS Exemptions # Description Expiration date
7c-II Lead in dielectric ceramic in capacitors for a rated voltage of 125 V AC or 250 V DC or higher As of March 1st 2020: does not apply to applications covered by point 7c-I and 7c-IV. Expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 1-7 and 10; — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
7c-IV Lead in PZT-based dielectric ceramic materials for capacitors being part of integrated circuits or discrete semiconductors Expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 1-7 and 10; — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
8b Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 8, 9 and 11 and expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
8b-I Cadmium and its compounds in electrical contacts used in: — circuit breakers, — thermal sensing controls, — thermal motor protectors (excluding hermetic thermal motor protectors), — AC switches rated at: – 6 A and more at 250 V AC and more, or – 12 A and more at 125 V AC and more, — DC switches rated at 20 A and more at 18 V DC and more, and — switches for use at voltage supply frequency ≥ 200 Hz. As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 1 to 7 and 10 and expires on 21 July 2021.
15 Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 8, 9 and 11 and expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
15a Lead in solders to complete a viable electrical connection between the semiconductor die and carrier within integrated circuit flip chip packages where at least one of the following criteria applies: — a semiconductor technology node of 90 nm or larger; — a single die of 300 mm2 or larger in any semiconductor technology node; — stacked die packages with die of 300 mm2 or larger, or silicon interposers of 300 mm2 or larger. As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 1 to 7 and 10 and expires on 21 July 2021.
18b Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder (1 % lead by weight or less) of discharge lamps when used as sun tanning lamps containing phosphors such as BSP  (BaSi2O5:Pb). Expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 1-7 and 10; — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
18b-I Lead as activator in the fluorescent powder (1 % lead by weight or less) of discharge lamps containing phosphors such as BSP (BaSi2O5:Pb) when used in medical phototherapy equipment As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 5 and 8, excluding applications covered by entry 34 of Annex IV (i.e. Lead as an activator in the fluorescent powder of discharge lamps when used for extracorporeal photopheresis lamps containing BSP (BaSi2O5:Pb) phosphors for Medical Devices and Monitoring and Control Instruments), and expires on 21 July 2021.
21 Lead and cadmium in printing inks for the application of enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda lime glasses As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 8, 9 and 11 and expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
21a Cadmium when used in colour printed glass to provide filtering functions, used as a component in lighting applications installed in displays and control panels of EEE As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 1 to 7 and 10 except applications covered by entry 21b or entry 39 and expires on 21 July 2021.
21b Cadmium in printing inks for the application of enamels on glasses, such as borosilicate and soda lime glasses As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 1 to 7 and 10 except applications covered by entry 21a or 39 and expires on 21 July 2021.
21c Lead in printing inks for the application of enamels on other than borosilicate glasses As of March 1st 2020: applies to categories 1 to 7 and 10 and expires on 21 July 2021.
29 Lead bound in crystal glass as defined in Annex I (Categories 1, 2, 3, 4) of Directive 69/493/EEC Expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 1-7 and 10; — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
32 Lead oxide in seal frit used for making window assemblies for Argon and Krypton laser tubes Expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 1-7 and 10, — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments, — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices, — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
37 Lead in the plating layer of high voltage diodes on the basis of a zinc borate glass body Expires on: — 21 July 2021 for categories 1-7 and 10; — 21 July 2021 for categories 8 and 9 other than in vitro diagnostic medical devices and industrial monitoring and control instruments; — 21 July 2023 for category 8 in vitro diagnostic medical devices; — 21 July 2024 for category 9 industrial monitoring and control instruments, and for category 11.
42 Lead in bearings and bushes of diesel or gaseous fuel powered internal combustion engines applied in non-road professional use equipment: — with engine total displacement ≥ 15 litres; or — with engine total displacement < 15 litres and the engine is designed to operate in applications where the time between signal to start and full load is required to be less than 10 seconds; or regular maintenance is typically performed in a harsh and dirty outdoor environment, such as mining, construction, and agriculture applications Applies to category 11, excluding applications covered by entry 6c. Expires on 21 July 2024.
RoHS product technical files and declarations of conformity have to be updated accordingly.

Additional details about RoHS requirements and an updated EU RoHS exemptions list are maintained by Enviropass.

You are welcome to contact Enviropass for more information.