(ANSI: New York) -- On June 15, 2012, the European Commission released a document detailing frequently asked questions (FAQs) concerning the European Union’s Directive 2001/65/EU—“Restrictions on hazardous substances” (RoHS 2). Because RoHS 2 is expected to have a significant effect on trade and business operations both for companies that do business with EU member nations and businesses with operations in the EU, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommends that affected stakeholders download and review the new FAQs, which are available here.

The new directive modified RoHS, which first came into effect in January 2003 and limited the uses of a variety of noxious substances within the European Union with the intent of minimizing associated risks to human life and the environment. RoHS 2 was enacted on July 21, 2011, and is scheduled to come into effect on January 3, 2013, when all EU member nations are required to have integrated its provisions into their respective national laws.

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