China releases draft copy of RoHS catalog

MIIT website

The draft of China's RoHS catalog -- originally due in 2007 -- was released for comment by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) on October 9, 2009. A brief comment period ended November 9, 2009.

Products listed in the catalog (alternately translated as the Catalog for Priority Pollution Control, the Key Administrative Catalog or the Key Management Directory) must comply with Phase 2 of China RoHS. The effective date will be 10 months after the catalog is finalized.

Mobile & landline telephones and printers connected to computers are the first products (Batch 1) to be listed in the catalog. Despite China's intent to list products in the catalog without granting any exemptions, eighteen exemptions (which largely mirror EU RoHS exemptions) have been proposed.

Under Phase 2, products may not exceed RoHS concentration limits and must obtain China compulsory certification (CCC). The CCC certification process is still unspecified by the MIIT, although testing by labs in China seems to be assumed.

Although Phase 2 is a giant step closer with the drafting of the catalog, the lack of a specified process for obtaining CCC certification (or even a list of approved certification bodies) will almost certainly cause continued delays in its implementation.

This summary of the China RoHS is designed to provide you with an accurate, easy-to-understand overview of the topic and does not constitute legal advice. The actual standard in the original language should be reviewed and used for all business, legal, and product compliance purposes.

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