China just expanded RoHS to cover 23 new product categories including smart watches, earphones, desk lamps, and more. New 10-substance framework adds 4 phthalates. Compliance deadline August 1, 2027. Here's what LED lighting importers must do now.
On June 10, 2026, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) — together with 7 other state departments — released the Standard Achieving Management Catalogue (2026 Edition) and an updated Exemption List for China RoHS. This is the most significant expansion of China RoHS since its original implementation, adding 23 entirely new product categories to Category I (full compliance required) and expanding the scope of 5 existing categories.
The catalogue update is driven by GB 26572-2025, China's revised national standard for the restriction of hazardous substances in electronic and electrical products. That standard previously restricted 6 substances — it now restricts 10, adding four phthalates that align with the EU RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU framework. The updated catalogue defines which products must comply on which timeline.
The announcement was reported by SGS in SafeGuardS 080/26. Importers who source electronic and electrical products from China — including LED lighting components — face a 14-month window to bring supply chains into compliance before the August 1, 2027 enforcement date.
The new catalogue adds 23 product categories to Category I — meaning these products must now meet full substance restriction requirements with testing per GB/T 39560 and declarations on the China RoHS Public Service Platform. Below are the major additions grouped by product type:
| Category Group | New Categories Added | Key Material Risks | Compliance Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 Household Appliances | Microwave ovens, electric rice cookers, water dispensers | PVC wiring, gaskets, PCB solder, plastic housings | New — Aug 2027 |
| 📱 Consumer Electronics | Projectors, portable power banks, smart watches/bracelets, earphones, smart speakers | Battery components, adhesive tapes, cable jackets, plastic enclosures | New — Aug 2027 |
| 🤖 Smart Home | Robot vacuums, electronic smart locks | Motor assemblies, PCB boards, charging dock plastics | New — Aug 2027 |
| 🖥️ IT / Network | Servers, network switches, routers | PCB solder joints, internal cabling, power supply modules | New — Aug 2027 |
| 🎮 Toys & Lighting | Electric toys, desk lamps | LED driver components, plastic shades, PVC-insulated cables | New — Aug 2027 |
| 🏥 Health / Medical | Blood pressure monitors, blood glucose meters, hearing aids | Silicone ear tips, sensor housings, adhesive compounds | New — Aug 2027 |
| 📏 Expanded Existing | 5 categories expanded in scope (broader definitions, more sub-products captured) | Varies by category — wider net now captures previously exempt variants | Expanded — Aug 2027 |
Several of the newly added categories were previously in Category II — where only a declaration table was required. Their upgrade to Category I means these products now require full material testing and compliance verification under GB/T 39560. Importers sourcing these products must not assume existing Category II declarations are sufficient. This is the single highest-risk scenario for non-compliance penalties.
China RoHS has expanded from 6 to 10 restricted substances under GB 26572-2025. The four new additions are all phthalates — plasticizers commonly used in PVC cables, wire insulation, gaskets, and flexible plastic housings. These are the same four phthalates restricted under EU RoHS, meaning alignment between the two frameworks:
Why this matters for LED lighting: Phthalates are commonly used as plasticizers in PVC-insulated cables, wire harnesses, gaskets, and flexible plastic enclosures — all standard components in LED drivers, fixtures, and smart lighting products. A non-compliant LED driver with phthalate-laden PVC wiring can cause an entire fixture to fail China RoHS even if the LED module itself is clean. Importers must now test at the component level, not just the finished product level.
The enforcement timeline splits products into two groups. Products already in the pre-2026 catalogue must comply immediately with the new 10-substance framework. The 23 new categories and 5 expanded categories receive a 14-month transition period:
Testing per GB/T 39560 series standards. Compliance declarations submitted via the China RoHS Public Service Platform.
The 14-month window is generous — but only if importers start now. Waiting until mid-2027 to begin supply chain audits will create bottlenecks at testing labs and delay shipments. Here is a practical action plan:
While China RoHS is an electronics regulation, it has direct and significant impact on LED lighting — especially as lighting becomes increasingly connected, smart, and component-driven. Here is where the 2026 expansion hits the lighting industry:
LED drivers (power supplies) are the single highest-risk component in any luminaire. A typical LED driver contains a PCB with solder joints (lead, cadmium risk), PVC-insulated input/output wiring (phthalate risk), plastic housing (phthalate and PBB/PBDE risk), electrolytic capacitors (lead in glass seals), and conformal coating (solvent/residue risk). Under the 10-substance framework, importers must test driver components individually — a driver that previously passed 6-substance testing may fail under the expanded 10-substance requirement due to phthalates in its PVC wiring and plastic housing.
Desk lamps are one of the 23 newly added categories — a direct hit to the LED lighting sector. Smart desk lamps with integrated USB charging, wireless control, or tunable white features are double-exposed: covered as desk lamps under the new category and potentially as smart electronics if they include wireless modules. Additionally, smart speakers — now increasingly integrated into smart home lighting ecosystems — are also newly regulated. Any LED lighting product that incorporates a smart speaker module (e.g., ceiling lights with voice assistants) must now comply.
Portable power banks are a new Category I addition. For the lighting industry, this affects portable work lights, emergency luminaires, camping lanterns, and any battery-powered LED product that incorporates a power bank function or uses interchangeable battery packs. Battery cells, BMS circuit boards, and charging ports all contain materials subject to the 10-substance restriction.
Servers, network switches, and routers are newly listed — and these are the backbone of any DALI, DMX, or wireless lighting control network. Commercial lighting projects that include on-site control servers or dedicated network hardware must now verify China RoHS compliance for those components. System integrators delivering turnkey smart lighting projects with network infrastructure cannot ignore this requirement.
The expansion to 10 substances — mirroring EU RoHS — is ultimately beneficial for global importers. Products already certified for EU RoHS compliance with the 4 phthalates will have a head start on China RoHS documentation. The gap is in testing standards: EU RoHS uses the IEC 62321 series, while China requires GB/T 39560. Importers selling in both markets should commission dual-standard test packages from labs accredited for both series — this is more cost-effective than testing twice and ensures both regulatory frameworks are satisfied.
Standards Referenced: GB 26572-2025 (Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products), GB/T 39560 series (Test Methods), MIIT Standard Achieving Management Catalogue (2026 Edition), EU RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU (for comparison)
Regulatory Source: SGS SafeGuardS 080/26 (June 10, 2026) — reporting the official MIIT announcement of the new catalogue and exemption list
Data Verified: June 13, 2026 — Compare2Best Lighting Team
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