Azerbaijan has published a draft technical regulation restricting the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and radio-electronic products — an important step forward in the environmental oversight of electronics. The draft is intended to strengthen product safety standards, raise environmental compliance levels and align national requirements with internationally accepted restricted-substance practice.

What the regulation contains

The draft sets clear limits for six groups of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic products: lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)), polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). Concentrations of these substances will be strictly restricted, broadly following the same approach as the EU RoHS Directive.

The scope is wide. Beyond conventional electrical and electronic products, the draft also brings telecommunications equipment and radio equipment within the controlled list. Base stations, routers, remote controls and wireless communication modules will therefore face the same new compliance thresholds.

The draft also outlines the potential obligations of manufacturers and importers under conformity assessment procedures: products must be tested and evaluated as necessary, and technical documentation must be prepared to demonstrate compliance with the limits. Affected parties should follow subsequent regulatory requirements and adjust production processes and supply chain management accordingly.

It should be noted that the technical regulation remains at the drafting and consultation stage. It has not yet been formally approved or published by the Azerbaijani authorities and has no legal effect at present. Exporters are advised to monitor developments and prepare compliance know-how in advance, so that the transition is smooth once the rules formally take effect and export channels to Azerbaijan remain unimpeded.