The European Commission published results from enforcement testing of electronic products for hazardous substances restricted under the EU RoHS Directive. Of 319 samples tested, elevated lead levels were detected in 82 samples (primarily in solder points), plasticisers (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP) in 51 samples (mainly in soft PVC cable insulation and plugs), and brominated flame retardants (PBB, PBDE) in 5 samples (hard plastic components). The testing demonstrates active enforcement surveillance and highlights ongoing compliance risks in electronic component supply chains, particularly for solder materials, cables, and accessories.
The European Commission's contracted evaluator has extended the submission deadline for stakeholder contributions on RoHS exemption evaluations to 1 August 2026 (extended from 24 July 2026). Stakeholders are invited to submit fact-based evidence to support ongoing exemption evaluations. Registered stakeholders receive updates on project progress and can participate in the evaluation process. Companies relying on RoHS exemptions should monitor this consultation and consider submitting relevant technical evidence.
The Commission’s RoHS implementation guidance page sets out procedural expectations for RoHS exemptions: renewal applications should be submitted no later than 18 months before an exemption expires; typical decisions take 18–24 months; timely renewal submissions generally keep the exemption valid until a decision is taken; and rejected renewals typically include a 12–18 month transition period. This guidance is operationally important for planning exemption renewal strategies, supplier declarations, and product change timelines around expiring RoHS exemptions.
The European Commission posted an updated RoHS exemptions tracking spreadsheet (“Exemptions list: Validity and rolling plan Feb 2026”) on 31 March 2026, linked from the RoHS Directive implementation pages. While not a legal amendment by itself, this Commission-published tracker is compliance-relevant because it consolidates current exemption validity periods and the Commission’s rolling plan, supporting manufacturers’ planning for exemption renewals/expirations and transition timing under RoHS Annex III/IV processes.
The European Commission (DG Environment) published an updated RoHS exemptions tracker spreadsheet titled “Exemptions list: Validity and rolling plan – Feb 2026”. The file is used to track Annex III/IV exemption validity and the rolling plan, supporting compliance teams’ exemption-expiry monitoring, renewal planning, and internal exemption registers/alerts.
The European Commission (DG Environment) published an updated ‘Exemptions list: Validity and rolling plan – Feb 2026’ exemptions-tracking file for EU RoHS (Directive 2011/65/EU). This is an official operational tracker (not a delegated directive) used to monitor Annex III/IV exemption validity/expiry status and the Commission’s rolling plan. Compliance teams can use it to identify exemptions approaching expiry, plan redesign/change-control activities, and anticipate renewal/decision timing for products relying on RoHS exemptions.
The European Commission published a refreshed operational tracking spreadsheet for EU RoHS Annex III/IV exemptions (“RoHS 2 exemptions – Validity and rolling plan”, February 2026 version). While not itself a legal act, the tracker is an authoritative Commission-maintained reference used by compliance teams to monitor exemption validity periods, upcoming expirations, and renewal pipeline status (e.g., exemptions marked as requested for renewal). This update can trigger internal compliance actions such as BOM exemption mapping updates, redesign/sourcing plans for exemptions nearing expiry, and verification that renewal applications were submitted in time to maintain continuity under RoHS renewal rules.
The European Commission’s RoHS Directive implementation page reiterates key procedural expectations that impact exemption management programs: renewal applications must be submitted no later than 18 months before an exemption expires; exemption decisions are stated to take around 18–24 months; if a renewal request is submitted, the exemption generally remains valid until the Commission decision; and if a renewal is rejected, transition periods of 12–18 months may apply. While not a binding change by itself, this is authoritative Commission guidance that compliance teams can use to build exemption-renewal calendars and manage risk around expiring/renewal-pending exemptions.
The European Commission published an updated operational tracking spreadsheet for EU RoHS Annex III/IV exemptions (“Exemptions list: validity and rolling plan – Feb 2026”). This tool is used by compliance teams to monitor which exemptions are currently valid, which are approaching expiry, and the Commission’s rolling plan view of expected exemption actions. While not itself a legal amendment, it is an authoritative compliance-planning reference for exemption status monitoring and horizon scanning.
The European Commission (DG Environment) posted an updated spreadsheet titled “Exemptions list: Validity and rolling plan Feb 2026” (published on the document landing page 31 March 2026). This tracker is a key compliance planning aid for RoHS because it consolidates exemption entries (Annex III/IV) with their validity periods and rolling plan status, helping manufacturers and compliance teams verify current exemption expiry dates, plan renewal submissions, and anticipate phase-outs or decision timelines. This is a guidance/supporting-material update rather than a legal amendment to the RoHS Directive text.
The European Commission (DG ENV) published an updated spreadsheet titled “Exemptions list: Validity and rolling plan – Feb 2026” (published on 31 March 2026). While not a legislative amendment, it is an official operational compliance artifact used to track EU RoHS Annex III/IV exemption validity/expiry dates and the rolling plan for assessments/decisions. Compliance teams can use it to identify upcoming exemption expiries, align redesign and qualification timelines, and monitor renewal/decision pipelines for exemptions relied upon in products placed on the EU market.
An EC-hosted RoHS Annex II restriction dossier proposes adding Medium-Chained Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) as a restricted substance for electrical and electronic equipment under the RoHS Article 6(1) process (potential future Annex II amendment). This is a proposal/supporting dossier rather than a binding RoHS legal change; however, it signals a potential future substance restriction topic that compliance teams may want to monitor for portfolio and material-risk assessment.
The European Commission published an updated consolidated RoHS exemptions tracking file (“Exemptions list: validity and rolling plan” – February 2026). This tracker is used to monitor Annex III/IV exemption validity/expiry dates and the Commission’s rolling plan for evaluation and decisions, supporting compliance planning for upcoming exemption expirations and renewal timelines. It is not itself a delegated directive amending Annex III/IV, but it is an official planning/monitoring update that compliance teams use to track anticipated exemption changes.
The European Commission has decided not to proceed with proposals to add Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A) and Medium-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (MCCPs) to the RoHS Directive Annex II restricted substances list. This decision represents a reversal of earlier plans to expand RoHS substance restrictions. Manufacturers of electrical and electronic equipment will not face new compliance obligations for these substances under RoHS. The decision affects compliance planning for flame retardant and plasticizer applications in EEE.
The European Commission announced that the EU 'One Substance, One Assessment' (OSOA) package entered into force on 1 January 2026. While horizontal in nature, OSOA is relevant to RoHS because it changes governance and how scientific/technical work that underpins chemicals legislation is organised (including re-attribution of certain technical tasks to ECHA and creation of a common chemicals data platform). Compliance teams should monitor downstream impacts on RoHS restriction/exemption assessment workflows, evidence expectations, and process/timeline changes as OSOA implementation progresses.
The European Union has adopted a legislative amendment transferring the scientific and technical responsibilities related to the RoHS Directive from the European Commission to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Under this change, ECHA will be responsible for evaluating applications for new RoHS exemptions, exemption renewals, revocations, and reviews of restricted substances. The European Commission will continue to make the final regulatory decisions, while ECHA will provide the scientific and technical assessments supporting those decisions. This transition aims to streamline the exemption evaluation process and align RoHS chemical assessments more closely with other EU chemicals legislation managed by ECHA. Although this update does not introduce new substance restrictions or modify existing RoHS exemptions, companies relying on RoHS exemptions should prepare for a revised evaluation process and potentially more structured scientific assessments.
The European Commission (DG Environment) posted an updated RoHS exemptions tracking document titled “Exemptions list – validity and rolling plan” (Dec 2025). The document consolidates RoHS Annex III/IV exemption entries along with validity and rolling-plan information, serving as an authoritative operational reference for compliance teams to monitor exemption expiry/renewal status and plan design or sourcing changes ahead of phase-outs.
The European Commission published an updated RoHS exemptions tracking file (“Exemptions list – validity and rolling plan”, Dec 2025) on its official document portal. While not a legal amendment to RoHS, the tracker is operationally important for compliance teams because it consolidates exemption validity/expiry status and supports forward planning for exemption renewals, product redesigns, and evidence management tied to Annex III/IV exemptions.
The European Commission published an updated “Exemptions list – validity and rolling plan” document page (with an associated XLSX download) for RoHS Annex III/IV exemptions. While not itself a legal amendment, this Commission-hosted tracker is an authoritative compliance management resource for monitoring exemption validity periods, expirations, and the rolling plan of exemptions under review—supporting 2026 redesign/substitution planning, documentation updates, and exemption renewal tracking.
Directive (EU) 2025/2456, adopted on 26 November 2025, amends Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS) to reattribute scientific and technical assessment tasks to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). This change implements the 'One Substance, One Assessment' approach, centralizing hazardous substance evaluation under ECHA's expertise. Compliance teams should note that future RoHS substance assessments and exemption evaluations will follow ECHA procedures.