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mean the likly hood of users found using products that dont comply is pretty slim but there is always a chance
Oh?, I think the chances of that are virtually non existant, after all these regulations are directed at and soley apply to MANUFACTURERS and not end users. Does Granny Matthews really check for all of these regs when she goes to buy a new washing machine or TV set have the general public even heard of them?. Doubtful.
http://www.rohs.gov.uk/Note:-
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Manufacturers need to understand the requirements of the RoHS Directive to ensure that their products, and their components, comply.
There is nothing in there to make the end user (consumer) liable for any non compliance of goods which they own / have bought, its aimed entirely at
manufacturing businesses (what few are left) and those
selling goods based at locations within the EEC.
Its not illegal to use non compliant products in the UK, its only against the regulations to manufacturer them or actively commercially distribute them as new products here or in Europe. So if you were to buy a new, non compliant product from a UK or European based supplier then, yes, you are correct in that the supplier is not in compliance of the current regulations and may, if reported, be fined.
However to buy & import an item directly and personally exported from the Far East for personal use is not breaking any laws and so there is nixt chance of the CE police visiting a venue and confiscating those goods, and to my knowledge there are no checks for this, either at customs or their point of entry. You can still even freely buy and sell USED non compliant second hand equipment too, as the acts only apply to NEW equipment.
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CE testing and approval is a LEGAL requirement for all electronic or electrical goods sold as new within the EEC
Incidentally,CE Marking, Rohs and WEEE are European directives which have no influence or jurisdiction in Far Eastern manufacturing and neither do they currently apply to Automotive and Computer equipment. If the manufacturers in the Far East are routinely importing goods into the UK or have a UK Based distribution chain then yes it needs to have the relevant legislation approvals in order to be (re)SOLD and DISTRIBUTED in the UK. In the case of somebody buying product on Ebay dispatched from an address in China then the product is not being bought or manufactured in the UK or Europe and neither is it being purchased from a distributor within the EEC - its being bought directly from China.
It is not a stipulation that a UK consumer cannot buy non compliant goods from China directly and import it as a 'one off' into their country (or bring it in as part of travelling on Holiday) as it doesn't form any type of customs check. This is because the manufacturer is not actively intending to selling goods in the UK through a UK / European distribution chain - the customer came directly to them and bought it directly from their country.
Remember the good old kite mark?, how many goods carry that these days??. I guess the CE, Rohs and WEEE symbols will all go much the same way in the next few decades.
Interestingly, vehicle manufacturers all have to test their vehicle electronics to a certain level to prevent interference to neighbouring systems. But lets say you were driving a pre 2004 manufactured car, and idling at traffic lights, when your vehicles ECU or Electronic Ignition system jams up a pedestrians pace maker and they drop dead in front of you. Do you think that you'd be held liable for this?. The common sense answer of course is no, well, the same would apply to consumers using other non compliant products.
As a point of fact, if you drive a fairly modern car you shouldn't really have mobile phones switched on when in your car either (check your handbook) as there is always the chance of its signal interfering with not only the engine and fuel management systems but also the ABS, Traction and ESP controls, the failure of which could cause a serious accident. How many people are directly ignoring this advice and the 'approval's that their car has? - probably more than are using non CE / Rohs appliances

. I state once again that, Rohs and WEEE have nothing whatsoever to do with electrical safety either, its just the EEC flexing their collective muscles.
So yes, I agree that it is probably wise to make sure your equipment meets relevant approval where applicable is a good and sensible idea but then again its also a good idea to have pli as a responsible business (and probably more so if you use lasers) but in reality I wonder how many businesses / Dj's have? - as neither are directly enforceable.