RoHS 2 (Directive 2011/65/EU)

RoHS 2 refers to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment, adopted June 8, 2011 and effective from January 2, 2013. RoHS 2 recast and replaced RoHS 1, introducing: expanded product scope (open scope covering all EEE by July 2019); CE marking and Declaration of Conformity requirements; responsibilities for manufacturers, importers, distributors, and authorised representatives; technical documentation requirements; and a pathway for adding new restricted substances (Article 6). Four phthalates were added via Directive 2015/863/EU. Directive (EU) 2025/2456 (December 12, 2025) transferred scientific and technical tasks to ECHA.

Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2); Directive 2015/863/EU (phthalates addition); Directive (EU) 2025/2456 (December 12, 2025).

RoHS 2 is the current primary EU legal framework for hazardous substance restrictions in EEE. All manufacturers, importers, and distributors of EEE in the EU market must comply with Directive 2011/65/EU and its amendments. The most operationally significant aspects for manufacturers are: the open scope (applying to all EEE not explicitly excluded); ten restricted substances; compliance documentation requirements (EN IEC 63000:2018); CE marking; and monitoring of exemption expiry dates. The December 2025 ECHA transfer changes administrative procedures for exemptions and restrictions going forward.