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EU Directive 2011/65/EU

RoHS

Restriction of Hazardous Substances

RoHS restricts the use of specific hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) sold in the European Union. Originally targeting six substances, the directive was expanded (RoHS 2) to include four phthalates, bringing the total to ten restricted substance groups. Compliance is mandatory before any EEE product can be placed on the EU market.

What you receive

RoHS Declarations & EU Conformity Documentation

We deliver complete RoHS compliance packages including substance screening at the homogeneous material level, EU Declarations of Conformity, and technical documentation files maintained for the required 10-year retention period.

  • Product-level screening against all 10 RoHS restricted substances
  • End-to-end supplier data collection and validation
  • Coordination of third-party lab testing when declarations are insufficient
  • EU Declaration of Conformity and technical documentation packaging
EU Declaration of Conformity - RoHS compliance document prepared by The 3TGs
Who it applies to

Manufacturers, importers, and distributors of electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU. RoHS covers 11 product categories, from large household appliances and IT equipment to medical devices and monitoring instruments. If your product uses electricity to function and is sold in the EU, RoHS almost certainly applies.

Key requirements
  • Products must not exceed maximum concentration values for any of the ten restricted substances
  • EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC) must be prepared and kept available
  • Technical documentation must be maintained for 10 years after the product is placed on the market
  • CE marking is required for compliant products
  • Exemptions must be actively tracked as they are time-limited and subject to renewal

Restricted substances and limits

  • Lead (Pb): 0.1% (1000 ppm)
  • Mercury (Hg): 0.1% (1000 ppm)
  • Cadmium (Cd): 0.01% (100 ppm)
  • Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+): 0.1% (1000 ppm)
  • PBBs and PBDEs: 0.1% (1000 ppm) each
  • Four phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP): 0.1% (1000 ppm) each
  • Thresholds are measured per homogeneous material, not per product
Common compliance gaps
  • Confusing product-level compliance with homogeneous material-level thresholds
  • Relying on outdated exemptions that have expired or are under review
  • Not maintaining technical documentation for the required 10-year retention period
  • Accepting supplier RoHS certificates without verifying substance-level data
  • Missing the four phthalates added under RoHS 2 (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP)
  • Not tracking RoHS category scope changes that may bring previously exempt products into scope
How The 3TGs helps
  • Product scope assessment to determine which RoHS category applies
  • Substance threshold evaluation at the homogeneous material level
  • Exemption applicability reviews and expiry tracking
  • EU Declaration of Conformity preparation
  • Technical documentation packaging for 10-year retention
  • Supplier RoHS data collection and validation campaigns
  • Lab testing coordination when supplier data is insufficient

Need RoHS compliance support? We handle everything from scope assessment through Declaration of Conformity.

Contact Us →

info@3tgs.org · +44 20 3996 3623