Although IEC 63000 was developed some time ago on the basis of EN 50581:2012 (initially as IEC 63000:2016) in order to address the increasing number of RoHS-related legal regulations in numerous countries worldwide and to create a uniform basis for evaluation, it was still advisable to refer to EN 50581.2012 alone in the context of conformity assessment and especially in the context of conformity declarations. According to Article 16(2) of Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS), materials, components and electrical and electronic equipment that have been assessed according to harmonized standards, the references of which have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union, are presumed to comply with the requirements of that Directive. Therefore, the publication of the reference of a harmonized standard in the Official Journal of the European Union is necessary for the presumption of conformity in case of a test based on a harmonized standard. Since only the reference of EN 50581:2012 was previously published in the Official Journal of the European Union by a Commission Communication (2012/C 363/05 of 23.11.2012, OJ EU C 363, page 6), only testing according to this standard led to a corresponding presumption of conformity.
The publication of the new standard enables affected manufacturers to switch their tests to the new standard with immediate effect and to refer to IEC 63000:2018 without jeopardizing the presumption of conformity. However, there is no reason for an immediate conversion of test processes and declarations of conformity. According to Annex II of the Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659, the reference number of EN 50581:2012 will only be deleted from the Official Journal with effect from 18.11.2021. By this date, however, manufacturers should ensure that the necessary changes have been made.
Irrespective of the originally limited scope of IEC 63000:2018, the processes and test steps described in IEC 63000:2018 are still suitable as general guidance for material conformity purposes, as was already the case with EN 50581:2012. For example, the specifications can also be used for the assessment of material-related requirements for products according to other regulations, even if in the context of these other regulations no specific specifications for a conformity assessment exists. This applies, for example, to requirements under Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH) or Regulation (EU) 2019/1021 (POP).
Link to document: Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2020/659
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