The cutoff date to sell an item in the EU that had lead in the solder was 2007, if memory serves.
Nobody was willing to run two assembly lines, one regular and one lead-free, so that's the cutoff date I remember. Since every component had a lead-solder surface finish, every electronic part you ever knew about got either discontinued forever or re-engineered as a lead-free equivalent. The sideband radio finals, 2SC1969 and 2SC2312 failed to make the redesign cut and were discontinued by Mitsubishi. Second source manufacturers have popped up along with outright counterfeits.
The EU rule that outlawed solder with lead in it is called "ROHS", as in Reduction Of Hazardous Substances. It outlaws a list of substances, beryllia ceramic, hexavalent chromium, Polydibromide ether flame retardant, cadmium and lead. That's why the 2SC2879 made after that has a gray layer against the metal foot where it had previously been white beryllia.
Another acronym is connected to this called "WEEE" for Waste in Electronic and Electrical Equipment directive.
Wiki that.
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