THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011 on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment(1), and in particular Article 5(1)(a) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Directive 2011/65/EU prohibits the use of hexavalent chromium in electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market.
(2) Hexavalent chromium is used in alkali dispensers that are used in order to create photocathodes in X-ray image intensifiers. Elimination or substitution of hexavalent chromium in the fabrication process of photocathodes is not possible as at present substitutes and alternative technologies are not sufficiently reliable or available to cover the full product demand range.
(3) Some of the hexavalent chromium from the fabrication process of photocathodes inevitably remains inside the product that is placed on the market.
(4) Directive 2011/65/EU should therefore be amended accordingly,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE: