{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2015-574/introduction",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2015-574/introduction.json",
  "legislation": "eudr/2015/574",
  "legislation_title": "Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2015/574 of 30 January 2015 amending, for the purposes of adapting to technical progress, Annex IV to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for mercury in intravascular ultrasound imaging systems (Text with EEA relevance)",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-directive-2015-574",
  "path": "introduction",
  "kind": "introduction",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Introductory text",
  "text": "Commission Delegated Directive (EU) 2015/574\nof 30 January 2015\namending, for the purposes of adapting to technical progress, Annex IV to Directive 2011/65/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards an exemption for mercury in intravascular ultrasound imaging systems\n(Text with EEA relevance)\nTHE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,\nHaving regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,\nHaving 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, and in particular Article 5(1)(a) thereof,\nWhereas:\n(1)\nDirective 2011/65/EU prohibits the use of mercury in electrical and electronic equipment placed on the market.\n(2)\nMercury is used in electric rotating connectors in medical devices for intravascular ultrasound imaging. Substitution of mercury or of the specific component would shorten product life or impair performance significantly.\n(3)\nBoth the substitution of mercury in the connector and the elimination of mercury via substitution of the connector or the device are technically impracticable or have negative overall impacts due to an impact on patients' health.\n(4)\nThe use of mercury in electric rotating connectors used in intravascular ultrasound imaging systems capable of high operating frequency modes of operation (> 50 MHz) should therefore be exempted until 30 June 2019. In view of the innovation cycles for medical devices this is a short transition period which is unlikely to have adverse impacts on innovation.\n(5)\nDirective 2011/65/EU should therefore be amended accordingly,\nHAS ADOPTED THIS DIRECTIVE:",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "OJ L 174, 1.7.2011, p. 88."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudr/2015/574/introduction",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T15:21:39.785751+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}