According to the latest data from China Electrical Equipment Industry Association, in the first quarter of 2004, my country's exports of mechanical and electrical products accounted for 55% of my country's exports. The EU has become the main market for China's export of mechanical and electrical products. Due to the backward environmental protection concepts and technological level of Chinese manufacturers, the RoHS Directive makes nearly 27 billion US dollars of Chinese mechanical and electrical products face the EU's environmental protection barriers.

The Chinese government has been paying close attention and researching countermeasures. The State Council has specially instructed the Ministry of Information Industry to be responsible for the research and response to the EU environmental protection directives. The "Administrative Measures for the Prevention and Control of Pollution by Electronic Information Products" formulated by the Ministry of Information Industry in accordance with the "Cleaner Production Promotion Law" and the "Law on the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution by Solid Waste" and other relevant regulations have been completed and have come into force on January 1, 2005.

The "Administrative Measures for the Prevention and Control of Pollution from Electronic Information Products" stipulates that from July 1, 2006, electronic information products listed in the key pollution prevention and control catalogue of electronic information products shall not contain lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybromide Diphenyl ether and polymeric brominated biphenyls and other toxic and harmful substances. For the period before July 1, 2006, the Chinese government required manufacturers of electronic information products to implement measures to reduce production of toxic and hazardous substances, and actively search for alternatives.

At the same time, an organization called "Working Group on Pollution Prevention and Control of Electronic Information Products" has also begun preparations for the establishment. The main task of this organization is to study and establish pollution prevention and control standards for electronic information products in line with China's national conditions, and to carry out cooperation with the prevention and control of electronic information products pollution. Relevant standard research and development work, especially to accelerate the development of much-needed basic standards for materials, processes, test methods and experimental methods.