---
title: "How should RoHS lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions be documented?"
canonical_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/lead-mercury-and-cadmium-exemptions"
source_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/lead-mercury-and-cadmium-exemptions"
author: "Sorena AI"
description: "RoHS FAQ on documenting lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions with Annex III or IV entries, material-level limits, expiry status, supplier evidence, and technical documentation."
published_at: "2026-05-09"
updated_at: "2026-05-09"
keywords:
  - "RoHS lead exemptions"
  - "RoHS mercury exemptions"
  - "RoHS cadmium exemptions"
  - "RoHS Annex III"
  - "RoHS Annex IV"
  - "RoHS technical documentation"
  - "EU RoHS Directive"
  - "RoHS"
  - "RoHS Exemptions"
  - "Lead"
  - "Mercury"
  - "Cadmium"
  - "RoHS FAQ"
---
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# How should RoHS lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions be documented?

RoHS FAQ on documenting lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions with Annex III or IV entries, material-level limits, expiry status, supplier evidence, and technical documentation.

*FAQ* *EU*

## RoHS FAQ Lead, Mercury, and Cadmium Exemptions

EU RoHS restricts lead and mercury to 0.1% by weight and cadmium to 0.01% by weight in each homogeneous material unless a specific Annex III or Annex IV exemption covers the application.

Use this FAQ to document the exact exemption entry, product category, material use, expiry or renewal status, and evidence package behind the decision.

Document a RoHS exemption for lead, mercury, or cadmium by tying it to the exact Annex III or Annex IV entry, the restricted substance, the homogeneous material or component application, the EEE category, the concentration or amount limit in the entry, the expiry or renewal status, and the supplier or test evidence that supports the finished product's technical documentation.

## How should RoHS exemptions for lead, mercury, and cadmium be documented?

Start from the restriction, then document the exception. Annex II lists lead and mercury at 0.1% by weight in homogeneous materials and cadmium at 0.01%. Article 4 says those limits do not apply to applications listed in Annex III or Annex IV, so an exemption record must prove that the product's use matches a specific listed application.

Avoid documenting exemptions as broad product permissions. The Commission RoHS FAQ explains that exemptions are granted for specific substances used in specific applications, not for a company or for a whole piece of EEE. A useful record therefore identifies the substance, material, component, product category, and Annex wording that supports the exception.

Do not make an unsourced current-status table for lead, mercury, or cadmium exemptions. Annex entries are technical and time-limited, and many include category-specific expiry dates, scope limits, spare-parts wording, amount limits, or renewal effects. Keep the official source URL and the date you checked it with the exemption record.

- Record the Annex III or Annex IV entry number and quote or summarize the exact application wording used for the decision.
- Map the entry to the EEE category, product model, part number, material, supplier, revision, and homogeneous material where the restricted substance appears.
- Capture the measured or declared concentration, or the per-lamp, per-display, or application-specific amount limit where the Annex entry uses one.
- State the expiry date, renewal application status, pending Commission decision status, or spare-parts condition that affects continued reliance.
- Keep supplier declarations, material declarations, risk assessment, test reports where used, and EN IEC 63000 technical documentation together with the exemption rationale.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding consolidated RoHS source for Annex II limits, Article 4 exemptions, Annex III, Annex IV, technical documentation, CE marking, and EU declaration of conformity obligations.
- [European Commission - RoHS 2 FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq_weee.pdf?ref=sorena.io) - Commission FAQ explaining that RoHS exemptions are application-specific and that homogeneous-material limits apply individually.
- [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659 on EN IEC 63000](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2020/659/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Official source for EN IEC 63000 as the harmonised technical-documentation standard used for RoHS assessment.
- [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission implementation page for exemption procedure, reassessment factors, renewal timing, and official exemption materials.

## What to capture for lead, mercury, and cadmium entries

The documentation fields differ because the Annex entries differ. Mercury lamp exemptions often use per-lamp or per-burner milligram limits and specific lamp technologies. Lead entries include alloys, solders, glasses, ceramics, coatings, bearings, and application-specific electronic components. Cadmium entries include electrical contacts, optical or filter glass uses, printing inks, thick film pastes, quantum dots, and specialized measurement or monitoring uses.

Use those examples as a cue for record structure, not as a substitute for checking the exact entry. The support file should be precise enough that an auditor can compare the product facts with the Annex wording without asking engineering to reconstruct the design history.

- For mercury lamp exemptions, record the lamp type, wattage or technology condition, per-lamp or per-burner mercury limit, and expiry date stated in the Annex entry.
- For lead alloy and solder exemptions, record the alloy, solder, component, voltage, application, product category, and any percentage threshold or excluded application.
- For cadmium exemptions, record the compound, contact, glass, ink, paste, quantum-dot, measurement, or monitoring application and the category or amount condition stated in the entry.
- For Annex IV medical-device and monitoring-equipment exemptions, confirm that the product is actually in the category covered by Annex IV before relying on the entry.
- When an entry has expired, document whether Article 4 spare-parts wording, a renewal application, or a Commission decision affects the specific product.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding consolidated RoHS source for Annex III and Annex IV exemption entries covering lead, mercury, and cadmium applications.
- [European Commission - RoHS 2 FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq_weee.pdf?ref=sorena.io) - Commission FAQ explaining exemption specificity and the individual homogeneous-material threshold concept.
- [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission implementation source for the exemption procedure and official materials to check requested or renewed exemptions.

## Evidence to keep in the RoHS technical file

RoHS documentation should connect the exemption decision to the conformity assessment file. Directive 2011/65/EU requires manufacturers to draw up technical documentation, carry out the relevant conformity assessment procedure, draw up the EU declaration of conformity, affix CE marking, and keep the technical documentation and EU declaration of conformity for 10 years after the EEE has been placed on the market.

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659 identifies EN IEC 63000:2018 as the harmonised standard for technical documentation used to assess materials, components, and EEE against RoHS restricted-substance requirements. Use that structure to keep supplier declarations, material declarations, test reports where needed, exemption mapping, and change-control evidence aligned.

- BOM and material breakdown showing where lead, mercury, or cadmium appears.
- Supplier declaration or material declaration tied to the exact part number, material, revision, and restricted substance.
- Test report or engineering assessment where supplier data is incomplete, high risk, or inconsistent with the product design.
- Exemption register entry with source URL, Annex entry, EEE category, application wording, limit, expiry, owner, and review date.
- EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation references showing how the exemption supports the Article 4 compliance conclusion.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding source for manufacturer duties, technical documentation, EU declaration of conformity, CE marking, and 10-year retention.
- [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659 on EN IEC 63000](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2020/659/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Official source identifying EN IEC 63000:2018 for RoHS technical documentation.
- [European Commission - RoHS 2 FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq_weee.pdf?ref=sorena.io) - Commission FAQ context for technical documentation and homogeneous-material compliance assessment.

## Expiry, renewal, and change-control checks

Exemption evidence should not stop at the date the product launched. Article 5 says exemptions have validity periods, may be renewed, and can be deleted when the conditions for inclusion are no longer fulfilled. A renewal application must be made no later than 18 months before the exemption expires, and an existing exemption remains valid until the Commission decides on that renewal application.

The Commission implementation page states that RoHS exemptions are limited in time and reassessed regularly, considering substitute availability, practicability and reliability, environmental, health and consumer safety impacts, socioeconomic impact, and potential adverse impacts on innovation. It also states that a RoHS exemption decision currently takes 18 to 24 months from the application date.

- Review the exemption when the Annex entry changes, the expiry date approaches, or a renewal or revocation decision is published.
- Review the record after product redesign, supplier change, material change, solder or coating change, lamp change, or category change.
- If a renewal request is pending, keep the evidence for that status with the exemption record instead of relying on an informal note.
- If the exemption is rejected, revoked, or no longer matches the product, open a substitution, redesign, withdrawal, or customer-impact decision before relying on further EU market placement.
- Do not assume spare-parts provisions apply unless the product and exemption facts match Article 4 wording for the specific case.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding source for Article 5 validity periods, renewal timing, pending-renewal validity, revocation, and spare-parts provisions.
- [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission implementation source for exemption reassessment factors, application timing, and decision-duration guidance.
- [European Commission - RoHS 2 FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq_weee.pdf?ref=sorena.io) - Commission FAQ explaining exemption validity, Annex III and IV roles, and application-specific use.

## Common mistakes when documenting these exemptions

The most common mistake is treating the word "exempt" as the conclusion instead of documenting the legal and technical match. Lead, mercury, and cadmium exemptions are narrow, and the same substance can appear in multiple entries with different applications, categories, concentration limits, amount limits, and dates.

Another weak pattern is relying on a supplier's generic RoHS statement after a material, category, or Annex entry changes. A defensible exemption record should survive supplier changes, market-surveillance questions, customer audits, and future product changes.

- Do not cite an Annex entry without checking that the material and application match the entry wording.
- Do not average lead, mercury, or cadmium across the finished EEE; the default limits are homogeneous-material limits unless a valid exemption applies.
- Do not reuse a lead exemption for cadmium or mercury, or reuse an Annex III exemption where Annex IV category specificity is required.
- Do not omit expiry, renewal, or pending-decision status when the entry includes date-sensitive wording.
- Do not put local source reference filenames, private working notes, or stale non-HTTPS URLs in public source fields.

Sources for this answer:

- [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding source for homogeneous-material limits, Annex III and IV exemption wording, and Article 5 deletion or renewal rules.
- [European Commission - RoHS 2 FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq_weee.pdf?ref=sorena.io) - Commission FAQ explaining that exemptions are not granted for a company or whole EEE and that material limits are applied individually.
- [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission source for time-limited exemption handling and reassessment process.

## Primary sources

- [Directive 2011/65/EU on restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02011L0065-20250101&ref=sorena.io) - Binding consolidated RoHS source for Article 4, Annex II thresholds, Annex III and IV exemptions, Article 5 validity and renewal rules, technical documentation, CE marking, and EU declaration of conformity.
  - Quote: "Applications exempted from the restriction in Article 4(1)"
- [European Commission - RoHS 2 FAQ](https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/pdf/faq_weee.pdf?ref=sorena.io) - Commission FAQ source for application-specific exemptions, homogeneous-material threshold explanations, technical documentation context, and Annex III versus Annex IV roles.
  - Quote: "Exemptions are granted for specific substances used in specific applications"
- [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659 on EN IEC 63000](https://data.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2020/659/oj?ref=sorena.io) - Official source identifying EN IEC 63000:2018 as the harmonised standard for RoHS technical documentation.
  - Quote: "technical documentation required for assessing materials"
- [European Commission - RoHS Directive implementation](https://environment.ec.europa.eu/topics/waste-and-recycling/rohs-directive/rohs-directive-implementation_en?ref=sorena.io) - Commission implementation source for exemption requests, renewal timing, reassessment factors, official exemption materials, and current process timing.
  - Quote: "Exemptions are limited in time"

## Topic Guides

- [Are cables in scope of EU RoHS? Cable evidence, CE marking, and DoC FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/cables.md): EU RoHS cable FAQ covering when cables are EEE, how internal and external cables are treated, when separate CE marking and a DoC are needed, and what evidence to keep.
- [Do Components Need EU RoHS Compliance? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/components.md): RoHS FAQ for components in electrical and electronic equipment: substance restrictions, homogeneous materials, CE marking, technical files, exemptions, and supplier evidence.
- [EN IEC 63000 RoHS Technical Documentation](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/en-iec-63000-technical-documentation.md): source-linked guide to EN IEC 63000:2018 technical documentation for EU RoHS, including manufacturer duties, evidence records, harmonised-standard status, and file maintenance.
- [EU RoHS Annex III and IV exemptions guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/annex-iii-and-iv-exemptions.md): How to use, renew, or challenge EU RoHS Annex III and Annex IV exemptions, with Article 5 criteria, timing rules, and evidence requirements.
- [EU RoHS Applicability Test for EEE Scope](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/applicability-test.md): Decide whether EU RoHS applies to electrical and electronic equipment, cables, spare parts, exclusions, exemptions, CE marking, and evidence records.
- [EU RoHS CE Marking and Declaration of Conformity](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/ce-and-doc.md): source-linked guide to RoHS CE marking, EU Declaration of Conformity, technical documentation, EN IEC 63000, and importer or distributor checks.
- [EU RoHS compliance checklist for EEE](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/checklist.md): Checklist for EU RoHS scope, restricted substances, homogeneous materials, exemptions, CE marking, technical documentation, and supplier evidence.
- [EU RoHS Compliance Guide for EEE](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/compliance.md): Practical EU RoHS compliance guide for electrical and electronic equipment: scope, restricted substances, exemptions, CE marking, technical documentation, and supplier evidence.
- [EU RoHS Deadlines and Compliance Calendar](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/deadlines-and-compliance-calendar.md): source-linked RoHS calendar for scope phase-ins, phthalate dates, exemption renewals, spare-parts cutoffs, EN IEC 63000, CE files, and review triggers.
- [EU RoHS Declarations vs Lab Tests FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/declarations-vs-lab-tests.md): When supplier declarations can support EU RoHS technical documentation, when IEC 62321 lab testing is stronger evidence, and how to document the decision.
- [EU RoHS Directive FAQ: scope, substances, CE marking](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq.md): Practical EU RoHS Directive FAQ covering EEE scope, Annex II substance limits, cables, spare parts, technical documentation, CE marking, and exemptions.
- [EU RoHS EEE Categories and Open Scope](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/eee-categories-and-open-scope.md): Map products to EU RoHS EEE categories, category 11 open scope, Article 2 exclusions, cables, spare parts, and evidence needed for RoHS scope decisions.
- [EU RoHS for medical devices and monitoring equipment](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/medical-devices-and-monitoring-equipment.md): RoHS category 8 and 9 guide covering application dates, Annex IV exemptions, phthalates, spare parts, CE marking, declarations, and technical documentation.
- [EU RoHS penalties and fines: Member State sanctions](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/penalties-and-fines.md): source-linked guide to EU RoHS penalty exposure: national sanctions, no EU-wide fine table, CE marking misuse, corrective actions, recalls, and evidence records.
- [EU RoHS Phthalates: DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/phthalates.md): source-linked RoHS guide to DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP: 0.1% homogeneous-material limits, 2019 and 2021 application dates, exemptions, evidence, and testing standards.
- [EU RoHS requirements for EEE, substances, and CE evidence](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/requirements.md): Practical EU RoHS requirements guide covering EEE scope, Annex II substance limits, exemptions, technical documentation, EU declaration of conformity, CE marking, and operator evidence.
- [EU RoHS Restricted Substances and Thresholds | Annex II Limits](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/restricted-substances-and-thresholds.md): EU RoHS Annex II restricted substances and maximum concentration values by weight in homogeneous materials, including cadmium's 0.01% limit and the 0.1% limits for lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, and DIBP.
- [EU RoHS Spare Parts: Repair and Reuse](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/spare-parts.md): source-linked RoHS spare-parts guide covering Article 4 repair parts, reused recovered parts, closed-loop conditions, phthalate carve-outs, CE evidence, and cutoff dates.
- [EU RoHS test plan selection workflow](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/test-plan-selection-workflow.md): Choose RoHS supplier evidence, EN IEC 63000 technical documentation, and IEC 62321 testing without over-testing or under-documenting restricted substances.
- [RoHS BOM evidence intake workflow](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/bom-evidence-intake-workflow.md): Build a RoHS BOM evidence intake process for EEE: map parts to homogeneous materials, collect supplier declarations, handle exemptions, and feed EN IEC 63000 technical documentation.
- [RoHS exemption register workflow: expiry, renewal, evidence](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/exemption-register-workflow.md): Build a RoHS exemption register that tracks Annex III and IV entries, product scope, expiry dates, renewal status, evidence owners, and Commission source links.
- [RoHS exemptions tracker guide: fields, evidence, gates](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-exemptions-tracker-guide.md): Build a RoHS exemptions tracker for Annex III and IV claims, renewal timing, supplier evidence, EN IEC 63000 documentation, and release decisions.
- [RoHS Exemptions Tracking Register](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/exemptions-tracking.md): Track EU RoHS Annex III and IV exemptions by material, component, category, expiry date, renewal status, Article 5 rationale, and evidence record.
- [RoHS Homogeneous Material Definition and Limits](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/homogeneous-material.md): Plain-English EU RoHS FAQ on homogeneous materials, Annex II thresholds, coatings, cables, assemblies, and evidence needed for material-level RoHS decisions.
- [RoHS Homogeneous Material Thresholds](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/homogeneous-material-thresholds.md): EU RoHS guide to homogeneous material thresholds: 0.1% limits, the 0.01% cadmium limit, material splitting, coatings, samples, exemptions, and technical evidence.
- [RoHS importer checks for imported EEE before EU market placement](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/imported-eee.md): Importer-focused RoHS FAQ covering CE marking, EU declaration of conformity, technical documentation availability, importer identity, nonconformity handling, and 10-year DoC retention.
- [RoHS Risk-Based Testing Guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/risk-based-testing.md): source-linked EU RoHS guide to risk-based testing, EN IEC 63000 documentation, IEC 62321 methods, supplier evidence, and technical-file decisions.
- [RoHS Supplier Change Control Workflow](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/supplier-change-control-workflow.md): source-linked EU RoHS supplier change control workflow for part substitutions, material changes, supplier declarations, testing decisions, and technical-file updates.
- [RoHS Supplier Declaration Template](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-supplier-declaration-template.md): source-linked EU RoHS supplier declaration template guidance for collecting material evidence, exemption claims, test records, and EN IEC 63000 technical-file inputs.
- [RoHS Supplier Declarations and Verification Guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/supplier-declarations-and-verification.md): Build a RoHS supplier evidence file without confusing supplier declarations with manufacturer EU DoC, CE marking, technical documentation, or importer checks.
- [RoHS Supplier Declarations Guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/supplier-declarations.md): Use RoHS supplier declarations as supporting evidence for BOM, material, exemption, and technical-file reviews without replacing manufacturer EU DoC or CE duties.
- [RoHS technical documentation, EU DoC and CE marking](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/technical-documentation-and-ce.md): source-linked guide to RoHS technical documentation, EN IEC 63000 evidence, EU declarations of conformity, CE marking, and manufacturer, importer and distributor duties.
- [RoHS Timeline: practical guide](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/timeline.md): EU RoHS Directive guide to Timeline with scope decisions, owner actions, evidence records, source-linked citations, and practical next steps.
- [RoHS vs Batteries Regulation scope comparison](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-batteries-regulation.md): RoHS-focused comparison explaining when RoHS applies to EEE, why batteries sit outside RoHS, and what evidence should not be reused without separate battery-law support.
- [RoHS vs LVD/EMC CE evidence: what belongs in the RoHS file](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-lvd-emc-ce-evidence.md): Compare RoHS substance evidence with separate LVD and EMC CE evidence streams, using RoHS-grounded scope, technical file, DoC, CE marking, exemption, and supplier records.
- [RoHS vs POPs for EEE substance compliance](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-pops.md): Compare EU RoHS and POPs obligations for electrical and electronic equipment: scope, substances, evidence, CE files, exemptions, waste overlap, and source-linked decision rules.
- [RoHS vs REACH for electronics: scope, evidence, overlap](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-reach.md): Compare EU RoHS and REACH for electrical and electronic equipment: scope, restricted substances, evidence, CE marking, exemptions, and overlap decisions.
- [RoHS vs WEEE: EU electronics compliance comparison](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/rohs-vs-weee.md): Compare EU RoHS restricted-substance duties with WEEE end-of-life recycling obligations, with RoHS scope, evidence, CE marking, exemptions, and source-linked decision points.
- [RoHS, REACH, POPs, and batteries overlap](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/reach-pop-and-batteries-overlap.md): source-linked RoHS comparison guide for separating EEE hazardous-substance restrictions from REACH, POPs, battery, waste, and technical-file workstreams.
- [What do the 0.1% and 0.01% substance limits mean under EU RoHS? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/0-1-and-0-01-limits.md): RoHS FAQ explaining why most Annex II substances use a 0.1% homogeneous-material limit while cadmium uses 0.01%.
- [What should teams do before a RoHS exemption expires? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/exemption-expiry.md): How to handle EU RoHS exemption expiry: confirm the Annex entry, renewal deadline, pending-decision status, fallback plan, and technical-file evidence.
- [When can RoHS spare parts use transition rules? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/spare-parts.md): EU RoHS FAQ on spare parts, repair parts, reused parts, closed-loop B2B reuse, legacy EEE cutoffs, Annex III and IV exemptions, and evidence to keep.
- [Which EEE is in scope under EU RoHS? | RoHS FAQ](/artifacts/eu/rohs-directive/faq/eee-scope.md): EU RoHS scope FAQ explaining when a product is electrical and electronic equipment, which Article 2 exclusions to check, and what evidence to keep.

*Recommended next step*

*Placement: after implementation section*

## Document exemption evidence before relying on it

Review the Annex entry, material facts, supplier evidence, expiry status, and technical-file records behind lead, mercury, or cadmium use in your EEE.

- [Open Research Copilot](/solutions/research-copilot.md): Answer RoHS scope, timing, and interpretation questions with cited outputs.
- [Talk through implementation](/contact.md): Review your scope, evidence model, controls, and next actions.


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