DIRECTIVES  
COMMISSION DIRECTIVE 2011/37/EU  
of 30 March 2011  
amending Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on 
end-of-life vehicles  
(Text with EEA relevance)  
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,  
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European 
Union,  
Having regard to Directive 2000/53/EC of the European 
Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on 
end-of-life vehicles (  1 ), and in particular Article 4(2)(b) thereof,  
Whereas:  
(1) Directive 2000/53/EC prohibits the use of lead, mercury, 
cadmium or hexavalent chromium in materials and 
components of vehicles put on the market after 1 July 
2003, other than in cases listed in Annex II to that 
Directive and under the conditions specified therein. 
Pursuant to Article 4(2)(b) of Directive 2000/53/EC, 
Annex II to that Directive should be adapted to scientific 
and technical progress by the Commission on a regular 
basis.  
(2) Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC lists vehicle materials 
and components exempted from the prohibition set out 
in Article 4(2)(a) thereof. Vehicles put on the market 
before the expiry date of a given exemption may 
contain lead, mercury, cadmium or hexavalent 
chromium in materials and components listed in 
Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC.  
(3) Certain materials and components containing lead, 
mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium should 
continue to be exempted from the prohibition set out 
in Article 4(2)(a) of Directive 2000/53/EC, since the use 
of such substances in those specific materials and 
components is still technically or scientifically 
unavoidable. It is therefore appropriate to prolong the 
expiry date of those exemptions until the use of the 
prohibited substances becomes avoidable.  (4) The use of lead in automotive thermoelectric materials in 
applications reducing CO  2 emissions by recuperation of 
exhaust heat is currently technically and scientifically 
unavoidable. Those materials should therefore be 
temporarily exempted from the prohibition set out in 
Article 4(2)(a) of Directive 2000/53/EC.  
(5) Certain materials and components containing lead, 
mercury, cadmium or hexavalent chromium should 
continue to be exempted from the prohibition set out 
in Article 4(2)(a) of Directive 2000/53/EC without an 
expiry date, since the use of such substances in the 
specific materials and components listed in Annex II to 
that Directive is still technically or scientifically 
unavoidable.  
(6) Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC provides that spare 
parts put on the market after 1 July 2003 which are 
used for vehicles put on the market before 1 July 
2003 are exempted from the provisions of Article 
4(2)(a) of that Directive. The exemption allows for the 
repair of vehicles put on the market before the entry into 
force of the prohibition set out in that Article with spare 
parts meeting the same quality and safety requirements as 
the parts with which they were originally equipped.  
(7) Spare parts for vehicles put on the market after 1 July 
2003 but before the expiry date of a given exemption of 
Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC are not covered by 
that exemption. Hence, spare parts for those vehicles 
should be heavy metal free, even if they are used to 
replace parts which originally contained heavy metals.  
(8) In certain cases it is technically impossible to repair 
vehicles with spare parts other than original ones as 
this would require changes in dimensional and functional 
properties of entire vehicle systems. Such spare parts 
cannot fit into the vehicle systems originally manu ­
factured with parts containing heavy metals and these 
vehicles cannot be repaired and may need to be 
prematurely disposed of. Annex II to Directive 
2000/53/EC should therefore be amended to enable the 
repair of such vehicles.EN 31.3.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 85/3  
( 1 ) OJ L 269, 21.10.2000, p. 34.(9) Directive 2000/53/EC should therefore be amended 
accordingly.  
(10) The measures provided for in this Directive are in 
accordance with the opinion of the Committee estab ­
lished under Article 18(1) of Directive 2006/12/EC of 
the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 April 
2006 on waste (  1 ), 
HAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:  
Article 1  
Annex II to Directive 2000/53/EC is replaced by the text set out 
in the Annex to this Directive.  
Article 2  
Member States shall bring into force the laws, regulations and 
administrative provisions necessary to comply with this 
Directive by 31 December 2011 at the latest.  Article 3  
This Directive shall enter into force on the 20th day following 
its publication in the  Official Journal of the European Union . 
Article 4  
This Directive is addressed to the Member States.  
Done at Brussels, 30 March 2011.  
For the Commission  
The President  
José Manuel BARROSOEN L 85/4 Official Journal of the European Union 31.3.2011  
( 1 ) OJ L 114, 27.4.2006, p. 9.ANNEX  
‘ANNEX II  
Materials and components exempt from Article 4(2)(a)  
Materials and components  Scope and expiry date of the exemption  To be labelled or made 
identifiable in accordance 
with Article 4(2)(b)(iv)  
Lead as an alloying element  
1(a). Steel for machining purposes and 
batch hot dip galvanised steel 
components containing up to 0,35 % 
lead by weight  
1(b). Continuously galvanised steel sheet 
containing up to 0,35 % lead by 
weight  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2016 and spare parts for these vehicles  
2(a). Aluminium for machining purposes 
with a lead content up to 2 % by 
weight  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2005  
2(b). Aluminium with a lead content up to 
1,5 % by weight  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2008  
2(c). Aluminium with a lead content up to 
0,4 % by weight  ( 2 ) 
3. Copper alloy containing up to 4 % 
lead by weight  ( 2 ) 
4(a). Bearing shells and bushes  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2008  
4(b). Bearing shells and bushes in engines, 
transmissions and air conditioning 
compressors  1 July 2011 and spare parts for vehicles put 
on the market before 1 July 2011  
Lead and lead compounds in components  
5. Batteries  (  2 ) X  
6. Vibration dampers  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2016 and spare parts for these vehicles  X 
7(a). Vulcanising agents and stabilisers for 
elastomers in brake hoses, fuel hoses, 
air ventilation hoses, elastomer/metal 
parts in the chassis applications, and 
engine mountings  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2005  
7(b). Vulcanising agents and stabilisers for 
elastomers in brake hoses, fuel hoses, 
air ventilation hoses, elastomer/metal 
parts in the chassis applications, and 
engine mountings containing up to 
0,5 % lead by weight  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2006  
7(c). Bonding agents for elastomers in 
powertrain applications containing 
up to 0,5 % lead by weight  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2009  
8(a). Lead in solders to attach electrical and 
electronic components to electronic 
circuit boards and lead in finishes on 
terminations of components other 
than electrolyte aluminium capacitors, 
on component pins and on electronic 
circuit boards  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2016 and spare parts for these vehicles  X (  1 )EN 31.3.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 85/5Materials and components  Scope and expiry date of the exemption  To be labelled or made 
identifiable in accordance 
with Article 4(2)(b)(iv)  
8(b). Lead in solders in electrical appli ­
cations other than soldering on elec ­
tronic circuit boards or on glass  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2011 and spare parts for these vehicles  X (  1 ) 
8(c). Lead in finishes on terminals of elec ­
trolyte aluminium capacitors  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2013 and spare parts for these vehicles  X (  1 ) 
8(d). Lead used in soldering on glass in 
mass airflow sensors  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2015 and spare parts of such vehicles  X (  1 ) 
8(e). Lead in high melting temperature type 
solders (i.e. lead-based alloys 
containing 85 % by weight or more 
lead)  ( 3 ) X (  1 ) 
8(f). Lead in compliant pin connector 
systems  ( 3 ) X (  1 ) 
8(g). Lead in solders to complete a viable 
electrical connection between semi ­
conductor die and carrier within inte ­
grated circuit flip chip packages  ( 3 ) X (  1 ) 
8(h). Lead in solder to attach heat spreaders 
to the heat sink in power semicon ­
ductor assemblies with a chip size of 
at least 1 cm  2 of projection area and a 
nominal current density of at least 
1 A/mm  2 of silicon chip area  ( 3 ) X (  1 ) 
8(i). Lead in solders in electrical glazing 
applications on glass except for 
soldering in laminated glazing  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2013 and spare parts for these vehicles (  4 ) X (  1 ) 
8(j). Lead in solders for soldering in 
laminated glazing  ( 3 ) X (  1 ) 
9. Valve seats  As spare parts for engine types developed 
before 1 July 2003  
10(a). Electrical and electronic components 
which contain lead in a glass or 
ceramic, in a glass or ceramic matrix 
compound, in a glass-ceramic 
material, or in a glass-ceramic matrix 
compound. 
This exemption does not cover the 
use of lead in: 
— glass in bulbs and glaze of spark 
plugs, 
— dielectric ceramic materials of 
components listed under 10(b), 
10(c) and 10(d).  X (  5 ) (for components 
other than piezo in 
engines)  
10(b). Lead in PZT based dielectric ceramic 
materials of capacitors being part of 
integrated circuits or discrete semicon ­
ductors  
10(c). Lead in dielectric ceramic materials of 
capacitors with a rated voltage of less 
than 125 V AC or 250 V DC  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2016 and spare parts for these vehicles  
10(d). Lead in the dielectric ceramic materials 
of capacitors compensating the 
temperature-related deviations of 
sensors in ultrasonic sonar systems  ( 3 )EN L 85/6 Official Journal of the European Union 31.3.2011Materials and components  Scope and expiry date of the exemption  To be labelled or made 
identifiable in accordance 
with Article 4(2)(b)(iv)  
11. Pyrotechnic initiators  Vehicles type approved before 1 July 2006 
and spare parts for these vehicles  
12. Lead-containing thermoelectric 
materials in automotive electrical 
applications to reduce CO  2 emissions 
by recuperation of exhaust heat  Vehicles type approved before 1 January 
2019 and spare parts for these vehicles  X 
Hexavalent chromium  
13(a). Corrosion preventive coatings  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2007  
13(b). Corrosion preventive coatings related 
to bolt and nut assemblies for 
chassis applications  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 1 July 2008  
14. As an anti-corrosion agent of the 
carbon steel cooling system in 
absorption refrigerators in motor ­
caravans up to 0,75 weight -% in 
the cooling solution except where 
the use of other cooling technologies 
is practicable (i.e. available on the 
market for the application in motor 
caravans) and does not lead to 
negative environmental, health and/or 
consumer safety impacts  X 
Mercury  
15(a). Discharge lamps for headlight appli ­
cation  Vehicles type approved before 1 July 2012 
and spare parts for these vehicles  X 
15(b). Fluorescent tubes used in instrument 
panel displays  Vehicles type approved before 1 July 2012 
and spare parts for these vehicles  X 
Cadmium  
16. Batteries for electrical vehicles  As spare parts for vehicles put on the 
market before 31 December 2008  
( 1 ) Dismantling if, in correlation with entry 10(a), an average threshold of 60 grams per vehicle is exceeded. For the applicatio n of this 
clause electronic devices not installed by the manufacturer on the production line shall not be taken into account. 
( 2 ) This exemption shall be reviewed in 2015. 
( 3 ) This exemption shall be reviewed in 2014. 
( 4 ) This exemption shall be reviewed before 1 January 2012. 
( 5 ) Dismantling if, in correlation with entries 8(a) to 8(j), an average threshold of 60 grams per vehicle is exceeded. For the a pplication of 
this clause electronic devices not installed by the manufacturer on the production line shall not be taken into account.  
Notes:  
— A maximum concentration value up to 0,1 % by weight and in homogeneous material, for lead, hexavalent chromium 
and mercury and up to 0,01 % by weight in homogeneous material for cadmium shall be tolerated,  
— The re-use of parts of vehicles which were already on the market at the date of expiry of an exemption shall be 
allowed without limitation since it is not covered by Article 4(2)(a),  
— Spare parts put on the market after 1 July 2003 which are used for vehicles put on the market before 1 July 2003 
shall be exempted from the provisions of Article 4(2)(a) (*).  
(*) This clause shall not apply to wheel balance weights, carbon brushes for electric motors and brake linings.’EN 31.3.2011 Official Journal of the European Union L 85/7