The only thing that is certain is that compliance is more easily mandated than achieved. It always takes time, and a lot of it.
The RoHS2 (also called the RoHS Recast) was drafted in 2008 with an eye toward restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment sold in Europe. "Improving implementation and enforcement of laws on electrical and electronic equipment and cutting unnecessary administrative burden are the main objectives of the revised directives proposed by the Commission today," the European Commission said in its news release. Five years later, in January 2013, the compliance requirements went into effect.
The original RoHS Directive restricts the use of Lead (Pb), Mercury (Hg), Cadmium (Cd), Hexavalent chromium (Cr6+), Polybrominated biphenyls (PBB), and Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE). The second stage introduced new CE marketing and outlined declaration of conformity requirements.
Today, compliance is anything but complete, but clearly it's moving in the right direction. The newest revision called for a review of the list of restricted substances before July 22, 2014 and demanded periodic review after that.? The infographic below highlights where we are in various indsutries and products.