China RoHS (Administrative Measures for the Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products)
ENFORCEMENT TIMELINE
Effective July 2016 (Phase 2 conformity assessment progressively applied from November 2019)
Overview
China RoHS -- formally the "Administrative Measures for the Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products" -- restricts the use of hazardous substances (lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, PBB, and PBDE) in electrical and electronic products manufactured and sold in China. While the regulatory framework resembles EU RoHS, China RoHS has a distinctive feature: product categories listed on the "Catalogue for Compliance Management" are subject to mandatory conformity assessment (similar to CCC certification) administered by the Certification and Accreditation Administration of China (CNCA). The first phase mandated information disclosure (SJ/T 11364 marking), and the second phase progressively applies substance-content restrictions to specific product categories.
Enforcement Timeline
- 2006: The original China RoHS (Administrative Measures on the Pollution Control of Electronic Information Products) took effect, mandating disclosure only.
- July 2016: The revised (current) measures took effect, expanding scope to electrical and electronic products generally.
- November 2019: Mandatory conformity assessment began for the first batch of 12 product categories on the Catalogue for Compliance Management.
- 2024-2025: Expansion of the Catalogue under consideration, potentially adding home appliances, lighting equipment, and power tools.
- 2026: A second batch of additional product categories is expected, likely extending to office equipment and telecommunications equipment.
Related Regulations / Topics
Business Impact
- Electronic component manufacturers: Although the restricted substances largely overlap with EU RoHS, the list of exemptions differs, requiring dedicated compliance work for China separate from EU-market products.
- Finished-product manufacturers: Products listed in the Catalogue for Compliance Management require testing and conformity assessment by accredited Chinese testing bodies -- not self-declaration -- adding cost and lead time.
- Supply chain management: Companies must provide hazardous-substance content labeling under SJ/T 11364, with information disclosure in IEC 62474 format recommended.