The European Commission has sent out WTO TBT notices for two RoHS exemptions.

The first exemptions is a new exemption for Cadmium anodes in Hersch cells

In Annex IV to Directive 2011/65/EU, the following point 43 is added:

“43. Cadmium anodes in Hersch cells for oxygen sensors used in industrial monitoring and control instruments, where sensitivity below 10 ppm is required. Expires on [OP, please insert, as concrete date, 7 years after the date of entry into force of this directive].,

The second exemption narrows the scope of the existing exemption Annex IV(26):

In Annex IV, point 26 is replaced by the following:

’26. Lead in the following applications that are used durably at a temperature below –20°C under normal operating and storage conditions:

– (a) solders on printed circuit boards;
– (b) termination coatings of electrical and electronic components and coatings of
printed circuit boards;
– (c) solders for connecting wires and cables;
– (d) solders connecting transducers and sensors.

Lead in solders of electrical connections to temperature measurement sensors in devices which are designed to be used periodically at temperatures below –150°C. These exemptions expire on 30 June 2021.’