Press Release: Commission adopts two regulations to progressively remove from the market non-efficient light bulbs

The Commission adopted two ecodesign regulations to improve the energy efficiency of household lamps and of office, street and industrial lighting products. The two regulations lay down energy efficiency requirements which will save close to 80 TWh by 2020 (roughly the electricity consumption of Belgium, or of 23 million European households, or the equivalent of the yearly output of 20 power stations of 500 megawatts) and will lead to a reduction of about 32 million tons of CO2 emission per year. Inefficient incandescent light bulbs will be progressively replaced by improved alternatives starting in 2009 and finishing at the end of 2012. As a result of these regulations, 11 billion euros are expected to be saved and re-injected every year into the European economy.

European Commission: MEMO/09/113: Frequently asked questions about the regulation on ecodesign requirements for non-directional household lamps http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=MEMO/09/113&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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