RoHS compliance
Restriction of Hazardous Substances
RoHS compliance means the PCB and all its components meet the EU's Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (2011/65/EU), which limits 10 specified substances including lead, mercury, cadmium, and four phthalates. RoHS compliance is mandatory for electronic equipment placed on the EU market.
What it is
The RoHS Directive (2011/65/EU, often called "RoHS 2") restricts the use of specific hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment sold in the EU. The current list covers 10 substances: lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, two flame retardants (PBB and PBDE), and four phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP) added by the 2015/863 amendment ("RoHS 3").
For each substance, the directive sets a maximum concentration tolerated by weight in homogeneous materials. For most substances this is 0.1%; for cadmium it is 0.01%. Compliance must be verifiable through supplier documentation, and the manufacturer must prepare an EU Declaration of Conformity and affix the CE mark to the finished product.
RoHS compliance affects PCB design at the component level (each part must be RoHS-compliant) and at the assembly level (the solder alloy must be lead-free, ruling out traditional tin-lead HASL finishes in favour of lead-free HASL, ENIG, OSP, or similar). Exemptions exist for specific applications (medical devices, industrial monitoring), but most consumer and industrial electronics must comply.
When it matters
RoHS is mandatory for any electronic product sold in the EU — non-compliant products cannot legally be placed on the market and risk fines, recalls, or being blocked at customs. For PCB sourcing specifically, RoHS affects which components and surface finishes are valid: lead-free HASL, ENIG, OSP, immersion silver, and immersion tin are all RoHS-compliant; traditional tin-lead HASL is not. RoHS-compliant components are now the default at authorised European distributors, but always verify on the datasheet or distributor record before specifying.
At Nordic PCB
All standard PCB and component sourcing through our certified European suppliers is RoHS-compliant by default. Lead-free HASL, ENIG, OSP, and immersion silver are all available as RoHS-compliant surface finishes. Component sourcing from authorised European distributors includes RoHS documentation that can be passed through to your own CE declaration. If your application falls under an explicit RoHS exemption (medical, industrial monitoring), note it on the RFQ and we'll source accordingly.
Related terms
- REACH compliance
REACH is the EU regulation (EC No 1907/2006) governing chemicals placed on the European market. For electronics, it requires suppliers to notify customers if any Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) is present above 0.1% by weight. The SVHC Candidate List currently contains 253 entries (February 2026) and is updated regularly by ECHA.
- Surface finish
A surface finish is the protective coating applied to the exposed copper pads on a PCB to prevent oxidation and provide a solderable surface for component attachment. The choice affects cost, assembly compatibility, shelf life, and reliability.
- ENIG vs HASL
ENIG and HASL are two of the most common PCB surface finishes. HASL (Hot Air Solder Levelling) is cheaper and well-suited to through-hole work; ENIG (Electroless Nickel Immersion Gold) is flatter, finer-pitch capable, and lead-free by default — at a higher cost.
- Authorised distributor
An authorised distributor (also called franchised distributor) has a contractual agreement with the original component manufacturer to stock and sell their parts. Examples include Digi-Key, Mouser, Farnell, RS Components, and Arrow. Components sourced from authorised distributors come with full traceability and no counterfeit risk — unlike brokers or independent distributors.
- Datasheet
A datasheet is the manufacturer's technical document for an electronic component, specifying electrical characteristics, mechanical dimensions, recommended operating conditions, package details, and compliance information (RoHS, REACH, automotive grade, etc.). Always verify component selection against the datasheet — not against distributor summaries.