A step was taken in Strasbourg on Tuesday 3 October towards formal updating of the EU directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (2011/65/EU, known as the RoHS 2 directive).
On the recommendation of Adina-Ioana Vălean (EPP, Romania), who chairs the environment committee, the European Parliament voted, by the overwhelming majority of 645 votes to 28, with 6 abstentions, to approve the provisional inter-institutional agreement reached on 21 June, thus adopting its position at first reading (see EUROPE 11814).
The updated directive will allow reselling on second-hand markets, the use of spare parts from electrical and electronic equipment if marketed before 22 July 2019 and exemption from the scope of the directive for organs (organ pipes which contain lead). The path is clear for formal adoption of a piece of legislation which, thus revised, will resolve the problems identified by the European Commission in the evaluation of the scope of the directive. Broader revision of the text will take place in 2021.
Of those who voted against, 19 belong to the EFDD, 6 to the ENF, 1 is non-attached and 1 is from the EPP, while 2 EFDD, 1 ENF and 3 non-attached MEPs abstained. (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)