(1)

Directive 2011/65/EU requires Member States to ensure that electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market does not contain the hazardous substances listed in Annex II to that Directive. That restriction does not apply to certain exempted applications which are specific to medical devices and monitoring and control instruments and are listed in Annex IV to that Directive.

(2)

The categories of electrical and electronic equipment to which Directive 2011/65/EU applies are listed in Annex I to that Directive.

(3)

Lead is a restricted substance listed in Annex II to Directive 2011/65/EU.

(4)

By Delegated Directive 2014/73/EU (2), the Commission granted an exemption for the use of lead in platinized platinum electrodes used for conductivity measurements where certain conditions apply (‘the exemption’), by including the relevant applications in Annex IV to Directive 2011/65/EU. The exemption was to expire on 31 December 2018, in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 5(2) of that Directive.

(5)

The Commission received an application for renewal of the exemption (‘the renewal request’) on 30 June 2017, that is within the time limit laid down in Article 5(5) of Directive 2011/65/EU. In accordance with that provision, the exemption remains valid until a decision on the renewal request has been adopted.

(6)

The evaluation of the renewal request included stakeholder consultations in accordance with Article 5(7) of Directive 2011/65/EU.

(7)

Lead-containing platinized platinum electrodes are used in specialised instruments for measurements which require certain measurement qualities such as wide range, high accuracy, or high reliability for high concentration of acid and alkali.

(8)

Due to the lack of reliable alternatives, a substitution or elimination of lead in the applications concerned is currently scientifically and technically impracticable for certain measurement instruments. The renewal of the exemption is consistent with Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) and thus does not weaken the environmental and health protection afforded by it.

(9)

It is, therefore, appropriate to grant the renewal of the exemption.

(10)

The exemption should be renewed for the maximum duration of 7 years until 31 December 2025, in accordance with Article 4(3) and the third subparagraph of Article 5(2) of Directive 2011/65/EU. In view of the results of the ongoing efforts to find a reliable substitution, the duration of the exemption is unlikely to have adverse impacts on innovation.

(11)

Directive 2011/65/EU should therefore be amended accordingly,