The main reason is to support the continued use of tin/lead solder for
repairs to existing tin/lead soldered equipment. This also ensures a
continuing supply for home construction, which is specifically excluded
from the RoHS regulations:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/pdf/faq_weee.pdf
(see question 1.15).

An amateur constructor is only *required* to use lead-free solder when
repairing a product that was put on the market after July 2006, and was
therefore 'born lead-free'.
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Does the above mean that all CE labeled equipment put on market after
July 2006 has been constructed with Lead free solder ? Also for example
equipment from outside the EU , like American made TenTec equipment (now
CE approved), because it would be a requirement for CE labeling , or has
this type of labeling nothing to do with actual construction methods ?

The only significant UK electronics distributor that doesn't sell
regular tin/lead solder is Maplin. That is because they jumped to
conclusions without reading the regulations, and still haven't realised.
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Tnx Ian ,very useful to know.

Frank GM0CSZ / KN6WH