{"id":13554,"date":"2025-07-07T15:25:50","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T07:25:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/li-on.biz\/?p=13554"},"modified":"2025-07-07T17:05:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T09:05:59","slug":"2025-01-10","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/li-on.biz\/en\/2025-01-10\/","title":{"rendered":"EU submits notification to WTO\/TBT regarding RoHS exclusion clauses"},"content":{"rendered":"

The EU has submitted a proposal to the WTO\/TBT regarding the application of the RoHS exclusion provisions for lead in alloys, high-melting-point solders, and electronic components.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\u6b50\u76df\u5411<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

EU RoHS Exclusion Provisions Revision: Consultation and Entry-Operation Schedule<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The EU submitted a notification to the WTO\/TBT on January 6, 2025, seeking comments until March 7, 2025, regarding proposed changes to the RoHS exclusion provisions. The notification concerns exemptions 6(a), 6(a)-I, 6(b), 6(b)-I, 6(b)-II, 6(c), 7(a), 7(c)-I, and 7(c)-II of Annex III to Directive 2011\/65\/EU, which exclude the use of lead in alloys, high-melting-point solders, and electronic components. The proposed date for adoption is March 2025, with entry into force 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the EU. The draft is as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

G\/TBT\/N\/EU\/1102 amending Annex III, paragraph 7(a) of Directive 2011\/65\/EU<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Article<\/strong><\/td>illustrate<\/strong><\/td>Expiration Date<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
7(a)<\/td>Lead in high melting point solders (i.e. lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead).<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications covered by item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-I<\/td>Lead in high melting point solders (i.e. lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) used for connecting chips or internal interconnections of chips and other components in semiconductor assemblies, with steady\/transient pulse currents of 0.1 A or greater, blocking voltages exceeding 10 V, or chip edge dimensions greater than 0.3 mm x 0.3 mm.<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications covered by item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-II<\/td>Lead in high melting point solders (i.e. lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) for integral (i.e. internal and external) connections for die attach in electrical and electronic components, if all of the following conditions are met: - thermal conductivity of the cured\/sintered die attach material >35 W\/(m*K); - electrical conductivity of the cured\/sintered die attach material >4.7 MS\/m; - solidus melting temperature above 260\u00b0C.<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications under item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-III<\/td>Lead in high melting point solders (i.e., lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) is used to make first-level solder joints (internal or bulk connections - i.e., internal and external) on components, with subsequent second-level soldering used to mount the electronic component to a subassembly (i.e., module, sub-board, substrate, or point-to-point soldering) without reflow of the first-level solder. This sub-item does not include die attach applications and encapsulation.<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications under item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-IV<\/td>Lead in high-melting-point solders (i.e., lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) is used for secondary solder joints connecting components to printed circuit boards or lead frames: 1. For connecting the solder balls of ceramic ball grid arrays (BGAs); 2. For high-temperature plastic overmolding (> 220\u00b0C).<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications covered by item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-V<\/td>Lead in high-melting-point solders (i.e., lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) is used as hermetic sealing materials for the following components: ceramic packages or plugs and metal housings; component terminals and internal subassemblies.<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications covered by item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-VI<\/td>Lead in refractory solder (i.e., lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) is used to establish electrical connections between lamp components in incandescent reflector lamps for infrared heating, high-intensity discharge lamps, or oven lamps.<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications under item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(a)-VII<\/td>Lead in high-melting-point solders (i.e., lead-based alloys containing 85% or more lead) is used in audio sensors with peak operating temperatures exceeding 200\u00b0C.<\/td>For all categories (excluding applications under item 24 of this Annex): December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

G\/TBT\/N\/EU\/1103 amends Annex III 7(c)-I and 7(c)-II to Directive 2011\/65\/EU and adds Annexes 7(c)-V and 7(c)-VI<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Article<\/strong><\/td>illustrate<\/strong><\/td>Expiration Date<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
7(c)-I<\/td>Electrical and electronic components containing lead in glass or ceramic, other than dielectric ceramic capacitors, such as piezoelectronic devices or glass or ceramic matrix composites<\/td>Applicable to all categories, valid until 31 December 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
7(c)-II<\/td>Lead in dielectric ceramic capacitors with a rated voltage of AC 125 V or DC 250 V or higher, excluding applications covered by 7(c)-I or 7(c)-IV.<\/td>Applicable to all categories, valid until
December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(c)-V<\/td>Lead-containing glass or glass-based compounds for electrical and electronic components fulfilling any of the following functions: 1) for protection and electrical insulation of glass layers in high-voltage diodes and wafers based on lead-zinc borate or lead-silicate borate glass bodies; 2) for sealing between ceramic, metal and\/or glass components; 3) for bonding purposes with a process parameter window of < 500 \u00b0C, with a viscosity of 1013.3 dPas (glass transition temperature); 4) for use as resistive materials, e.g. inks, with a resistivity in the range of 1 ohm\/sq to 1 megohm\/sq, excluding trimmers. potentiometers);
5) Chemically modified glass surfaces for microchannel plates (MCPs), channel electron multipliers (CEMs), and resistive glass products (RGPs).<\/td>		Applicable to all categories, valid until
December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr>
7(c)-VI<\/td>Electrical and electronic components containing lead in ceramics (excluding items 7(c)-II, 7(c)-III and 7(c)-IV of this Annex and item 14 of Annex IV) having any of the following functions: 1) for lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric ceramics; 2) for providing ceramics with a positive temperature coefficient (PTC).<\/td>Applicable to all categories, valid until
December 31, 2027.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

G\/TBT\/N\/EU\/1104\u00a0amending 2011\/65\/EU<\/strong>Annex III<\/strong>6(a), 6(a)-I, 6(b), 6(b)-I, 6(b)-II \u548c 6(c)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Article<\/strong><\/td>illustrate<\/strong><\/td>Expiration Date<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
6(a)<\/td>Lead is an alloying element in steel used for machining purposes and in galvanized steel, with a content not exceeding 0.35%.<\/td>12 months after the directive comes into force.<\/td><\/tr>
6(a)-I<\/td>Lead is an alloying element used in steel for machining purposes, with a content not exceeding 0.35%.<\/td>Applicable to all categories, valid until
December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
6(a)-II<\/td>The lead content in batch hot-dip galvanised steel does not exceed 0.2%.<\/td>Applicable to all categories, valid until
December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
6(b)<\/td>Lead is one of the alloying elements in aluminum alloys, and the lead content does not exceed 0.4% (lead comes from recycled lead and aluminum waste).<\/td>12 months after the directive comes into force.<\/td><\/tr>
6(b)-I<\/td>Lead is one of the alloying elements in aluminum alloys, and the lead content does not exceed 0.4% (lead comes from recycled lead and aluminum waste).<\/td>Categories 1-7 and 10: 12 months after the entry into force of the Directive;
Industrial monitoring and control equipment in Category 9 and Category 11: December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
6(b)-II<\/td>Lead is used in aluminum alloys for machining purposes, with a lead content not exceeding 0.4%.<\/td>Categories 1-7 and 10: 12 months after the entry into force of the Directive;
Industrial monitoring and control equipment in Category 9 and Category 11: December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
6(b)-III<\/td>Lead is used as an alloying element in aluminum casting alloys, with lead content up to 0.3% (lead comes from recycled lead aluminum scrap).<\/td>Categories 1-8, 9 (excluding industrial monitoring and control equipment) and 10: December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr>
6(c)<\/td>The lead content in copper alloys does not exceed 4%.<\/td>December 31, 2026.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The relevant translations are for reference only. If in doubt, please refer to the original documents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n