While the electronics industry has spent billions of dollars to comply with the European Union’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) directive, it is unclear how the law will be enforced. The European Commission (EC), which oversees the RoHS legislation, was supposed to release enforcement guidance for RoHS last year, but did not do so until late May. RoHS bans the use of lead, mercury, cadmium, chromium, polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl ethers from electronics sold in EU member states beginning July 1. Companies that violate RoHS can be fined and its executives could face criminal penalties, including jail time if their companies flagrantly violated the law. Despite the stiff penalties, the EC waited until almost a month before the RoHS deadline went into effect before issuing a guidance. More - Source: tmcnet.com