The EU is reviewing its Restriction of Hazardous Substances directive, and is expected to be adjusted to the RoHS Directive to make it more clear, more simple, and perhaps have a wider scope of application. Sales of electronic products to the EU market, the company should be fully alert to the possible changes made to the public.

The European Commission plans a retrial all of the 28 exempt items, and to examine whether they are still there is the need for, the United Kingdom ERA Technology Co., head of reliability and failure analysis, said Chris Robertson. "How you rely on existing exemptions item, then you may need to consider whether to resubmit your case." He said.

Waiting for the findings of the current exemption items may be a good idea. For example, relies on the server with a lead-exempt items of this company should be engaged in RoHS-compliant competitors on whether to begin the design watchful.

"That means that you are no longer in a good position," Robertson said, "If an exemption by only a few manufacturers need, it is difficult to prove that the European Commission exempted items is reasonable."

Exemption process itself also subject to review. Now, obtaining an exemption requests may take before a decision is one to two years, design-chain Association (DCA), senior vice president Ken Stanvick said. So many companies call options in dealing with requests for exemptions which facilitate a transparent application process and specific time window.

The European Commission also intends to RoHS directive restricts the more harmful substances, although so far not disclosed what the material. However, the industry believes that the flame retardant DBDE, HBCDD and TBBPA, as well as adjustment of arsenic will be hot.

If the Commission select a new material, then the restrictions will be to determine the best system. This may be RoHS or other legislation, such as chemical scope of the Ordinance, Robertson said.

In addition, Norway is expected in December this year to determine whether the legislative restrictions, including 18 kinds of substances, including arsenic, this measure will affect mobile phone use gallium arsenide chips. Norway is currently not a member of the EU, but has recommended to the European Commission RoHS retrial to take into account the State's own restrictions.

Denmark supports the RoHS directive to include more types of harmful substances. But the Danish Environmental Protection Agency RoHS implementation of the responsible person Torben Norlem refused to reveal the name of the substance.

"The key is the current industry trend is the phasing out of harmful substances, so we should encourage people to this direction." He said. European Union authorities are also expected to require the industry to respond to the mainstream - to improve the transparency of RoHS in Europe and consistency.

The interpretation of the Directive in all Member States vary, which gives the company you want to meet the Directive has brought no small difficulties. Review of studies are planned to focus on word problems, such as the RoHS exempt items in the "large-scale industrial tools" definition. However, the members have not the types of these tools to reach consensus. Another controversial phrase is "the market", which sets out who is responsible for product compatibility, but the unreasonable interpretation of nations that have unreasonable.

Each country will be a subjective interpretation of the respective components of military equipment, as well as what is "fixed installation." This is neither within the scope of the RoHS directive.

DCA's Stanvick example, pointed out that different countries whether they are military products bomb detectors have different opinions. Of what is "manufactured" also there are different opinions, products are RoHS covered by a product classification. Semiconductor evaluation boards for microprocessors were developed in a gray area, Stanvick said.

"Unless you want to turn to European Court of Justice, it would otherwise have no real practical solution." He said. In short, the industry asked the Committee to better define which products are or are not RoHS scope.

Review authority Orgalime is located in the Belgian capital Brussels, the European Federation of Industries, which represents some 130,000 electronics and mechanical technology companies. Against the Federation's comments, cited the example of a RoHS exemption - is designed for the car to install the radio. However, in the Netherlands, only in the automotive production process to install the car radio and navigation systems be considered exempt items.

Manufacturing sector of the DCA on behalf of clients requested the Committee to clear range of products.

The scope of a clear and enforcement is equally important, ERA's Robertson said. At present the implementation of the various countries differ, mainly because the scope of authority of the RoHS lack of consensus. "You can not command in accordance with the original simple words, to infer the true meaning of all these products on behalf of the contents of the category." He said.

The RoHS directive to determine whether a retrial would also include medical equipment, monitoring and control instruments (Categories 8 and 9). The Committee did not express any of these two categories of views, but the industry generally that will include these devices.

Meanwhile, with the supply chain turned to lead-free parts, does not belong to the scope of RoHS restrictions on the industry will find that you want to buy lead-free products will become increasingly difficult.

"The Commission is facing include categories 8 and 9, the pressure on." Robertson said, "The biggest question is: what products they will be exempt." In addition to category 8 and 9, in addition, there are still more product categories require careful examination to include into the RoHS, the Danish EPA's Norlem said. He did not give details, but mentioned "professional equipment, and other types of consumer devices."

"RoHS was first proposed in 2000, when many new products do not come out." Norlem said.

Since the RoHS since the enactment of the relevant rules and regulations have changed. In the more recent green legislation and RoHS overlap or offset the circumstances, the instructions need to be re-examined, Orgalime said the Secretary-General Adrian Harris. For example, the energy released in August this year, use the product (EuP) Directive on the right product on the environment throughout the life of the implications of the provision.

"It was selected out of six hazardous substances than the much more complex an integrated approach." Harris think.

It is said that the European Commission issued Call for comments on the industry's call is heeded, the various organizations has received more than about 50 to respond. This essentially represents the 50 submissions in response to thousands of companies. In addition, alleged that in February 2008 is expected to come to the preliminary results of the review proposed changes is expected to be completed in 2008, but the exact date to be determined.