The European solar industry has begun a campaign to exclude
photovoltaic solar panels from the recast directive on the
restriction of certain hazardous substances (RoHS), which is
currently being debated by the EU institutions. It argues that
having to comply with bans and restrictions originally applied
to electrical and electronic household appliances would harm the
industry's competitiveness without offering any health benefits,
while slowing the EU's fight against climate change. The
directive's revision engulfed the solar industry last autumn
after Sweden proposed to extend its scope to cover all
electrical and electronic equipment. The amendment would bring
solar panels within the scope of the directive unless
specifically excluded. The open scope was not part of the
original proposal from the European Commission, which
consequently did not carry out an impact assessment into it
either. "If solar modules were included in this, we believe it
would do much more harm to the environment, society and industr