Over half of tested electronics breached EU hazardous-substance rules

More than half of the electronic products tested by EU market surveillance authorities in a new joint campaign failed the rules on hazardous substances. That is the result of JACOP 2025, published by the European Commission on 18 June 2026 — and for importers, distributors and brands selling electronics in the EU the signal is unambiguous: enforcement is tightening.

In the Joint Actions on Compliance of Products (JACOP) 2025 campaign, authorities in 13 EU and EEA countries — among them Sweden, Finland and Norway — tested 173 electronic products in total. 91 of them, or 53%, did not meet the requirements of the RoHS Directive, which restricts hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment.

The most frequent breaches were lead and cadmium in solder joints (82 samples) and phthalates (plasticisers) in the insulation and sheathing of USB cables (51 samples). Authorities also found brominated flame retardants in hard plastic parts, hexavalent chromium in metal screws and components, and missing or deficient CE marking and technical documentation in 41 of the products.

The consequences followed quickly. Authorities notified the companies concerned and reported several of the products in the EU’s Safety Gate rapid alert system. The most common measures were withdrawing the products from the market before they reached consumers, and banning their sale.

Only 13 countries took part in the tests, but both RoHS and the duties of economic operators apply identically across the EU. An importer or distributor is liable for the compliance of the products it places on the market — regardless of what the supplier declares.

For companies selling electronics in the EU there is therefore every reason to act now: make sure the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity are in place, set concrete requirements for suppliers’ material declarations, test where there is doubt, and follow regulatory changes continuously.

“These results are not a one-off spot check but a pattern. Market surveillance is coordinated across borders and becoming more data-driven — and it is increasingly the importer and the distributor who carry the responsibility, not only the manufacturer in a third country,” says Conphora.

About Conphora

Conphora is a Danish platform for automated validation of, and oversight over, EU regulations and product compliance. Conphora helps companies selling products in the EU keep track of requirements, documentation and regulatory change across the supply chain.