RoHS
EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in EEE
EU AI Act
EU regulation for risk-based AI governance
Quick Verdict
RoHS restricts hazardous substances in EEE for EU market access, while EU AI Act regulates high-risk AI systems with conformity assessments. Companies adopt RoHS for safe recyclability and AI Act for ethical, safe AI deployment and compliance.
RoHS
Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS 2)
Key Features
- Restricts 10 hazardous substances at 0.1% in homogeneous materials
- Open scope covers all EEE unless explicitly excluded
- Time-limited exemptions for impracticable substitutions
- Requires technical file and EU Declaration of Conformity
- Dynamic updates through delegated acts and reviews
EU AI Act
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 Artificial Intelligence Act
Key Features
- Risk-based four-tier AI classification framework
- Prohibitions on unacceptable AI practices (Art. 5)
- High-risk conformity assessments and CE marking
- GPAI model transparency and systemic risk duties
- Post-market monitoring and tiered fines
Detailed Analysis
A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.
RoHS Details
What It Is
RoHS (Directive 2011/65/EU, or RoHS 2) is an EU regulation restricting hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). It protects health and environment by limiting risks in waste management, using an open-scope approach for all EEE unless excluded, with homogeneous material concentration thresholds as the core methodology.
Key Components
- Ten restricted substances: Pb, Hg, Cd, Cr(VI), PBB, PBDE, DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP
- Thresholds: 0.1% w/w (Cd at 0.01%)
- Time-limited exemptions (Annexes III/IV)
- Compliance model: technical documentation, EU Declaration of Conformity (DoC), CE marking
Why Organizations Use It
- Mandatory for EU/EEA market access, avoiding fines/recalls
- Improves recyclability, supply chain integrity, ESG reporting
- Manages risks from decentralized enforcement
- Builds stakeholder trust, competitive edge in global markets
Implementation Overview
Risk-based: product scoping, BoM analysis, supplier declarations, tiered testing (IEC 62321), technical files. Targets EEE manufacturers/importers; 6-18 months initial, ongoing for exemptions/updates. Applies globally via equivalents like China RoHS 2.
EU AI Act Details
What It Is
Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, is a comprehensive horizontal regulation establishing a risk-based framework for AI systems. It prohibits unacceptable-risk practices, regulates high-risk systems via lifecycle controls, mandates transparency for limited-risk AI, and minimally regulates others.
Key Components
- **Four risk tiersunacceptable (banned), high-risk (conformity assessment, risk management), limited (transparency), minimal (voluntary).
- Core obligations: risk management (Art. 9), data governance (Art. 10), documentation (Arts. 11-13), human oversight (Art. 14), cybersecurity (Art. 15).
- GPAI models (Chapter V) with systemic risk duties; CE marking, EU database registration; tiered fines up to 7% global turnover.
Why Organizations Use It
Mandatory for EU market access; mitigates legal risks, fines; enhances trust, competitiveness in sectors like employment, healthcare; integrates with GDPR, product safety laws.
Implementation Overview
Phased rollout (6-36 months); inventory/classify AI, build QMS, conformity assessments, post-market monitoring. Applies EU-wide to providers/deployers; cross-industry, high complexity for high-risk AI.
Key Differences
| Aspect | RoHS | EU AI Act |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Hazardous substances in EEE materials | Risk-based AI systems and practices |
| Industry | EEE manufacturers, EU/EEA market | AI providers/deployers, EU-wide sectors |
| Nature | Mandatory EU directive, decentralized enforcement | Mandatory EU regulation, hybrid oversight |
| Testing | XRF screening, IEC 62321 lab tests | Conformity assessment, notified bodies |
| Penalties | Member State fines, recalls, decentralized | Up to 7% global turnover fines |
Scope
Industry
Nature
Testing
Penalties
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about RoHS and EU AI Act
RoHS FAQ
EU AI Act FAQ
You Might also be Interested in These Articles...
Step-by-Step Implementation Guide to ISO 27701: Building a Privacy Information Management System (PIMS) on Your ISO 27001 Foundation
Implement ISO 27701 on your ISO 27001 foundation with this actionable guide. Tackle PII controls, audit evidence, GDPR integration. Templates, checklists for 20
NIST CSF 2.0 Implementation Tiers Roadmap: Step-by-Step Guide from Partial to Adaptive Cybersecurity Maturity
Master NIST CSF 2.0 Implementation Tiers with a step-by-step roadmap. Assess your tier, build gap analyses, and advance from Partial (Tier 1) to Adaptive (Tier
CMMC Sustainment Mastery: Continuous Monitoring, Annual Affirmations, and Subcontractor Flow-Down Playbook
Master CMMC sustainment beyond certification: continuous monitoring dashboards, SPRS/eMASS affirmations, enforceable subcontractor clauses. Get templates for ve
Run Maturity Assessments with GRADUM
Transform your compliance journey with our AI-powered assessment platform
Assess your organization's maturity across multiple standards and regulations including ISO 27001, DORA, NIS2, NIST, GDPR, and hundreds more. Get actionable insights and track your progress with collaborative, AI-powered evaluations.
Check out these other Gradum.io Standards Comparison Pages
COBIT vs GRI
Compare COBIT vs GRI: ISACA's IT governance powerhouse meets global sustainability standards. Uncover key differences in principles, domains, implementation, and HES compliance to optimize enterprise risk and ESG reporting. Discover now!
HIPAA vs ISA 95
Compare HIPAA vs ISA-95: Decode healthcare privacy/security rules vs manufacturing integration standards. Gain compliance strategies, risk insights, and best practices for resilient operations.
FERPA vs CAA
Compare FERPA vs CAA: Decode student privacy (FERPA) vs air quality regs (CAA). Expert insights on compliance, key diffs & strategies for educators/operators. Unlock now!