MEPs clash on bulb ban: bright idea or a “patronising” switch?

The lights went out on the traditional 100 watt bulb on 1 September as new EU rules on energy efficiency kicked in. Supporters say the move will cut Europe's C02 emissions by 15 million tonnes and save householders €25-50 a year. However, there is disquiet in many countries about the decision and the way it was taken. In Germany consumers even stockpiled the older lights. We hear from two Members of Parliament with very different views.

The decision was taken under the obscure “comitology” process where a group of technical experts was convened by the European Commission and then decided to raise energy standards under existing rules. Parliament's Environment Committee had the right to block the move but didn't.

Old products should be switched off

Dutch Green MEP Bas Eickhout said the measure should not be seen as a ban on the old-fashioned incandescent bulb, but rather as tighter efficiency standards. For him old products that do not meet current standards should disappear. The incandescent bulb converts only 5% of the energy it uses into light and is therefore very inefficient, he said.

The measure has led to more energy efficient lamps giving consumers more choice and saving them money on light bulbs according to Mr Eickhout.

Bulb ban is “patronising” says incandescent critics

However, Anja Weisgerber a German member of the centre right European People's Party said, “even though energy saving is important, the concerns of European citizens should be taken seriously”.

“A total ban on a complete product line - incandescent light bulbs - seems patronising to many European citizens who do not want us to tell them what light bulbs they should use,” she added. “It would have been better to concentrate more on research and better alternatives.”

Ms Weisgerber is also critical of how the decision was taken “without public discussions and too fast” and “over the heads of the European Parliament and European citizens, while the main industries had a very big interest in pushing it through”.

Mr Eickhout disagrees about the principle but shares the concerns about the procedure. While he thinks it logical that experts took the decision, “it would have been better for Parliament as a whole to look at this because it is a politically sensitive issue and consumers feel overwhelmed”.

Equivalent energy use of Romania could be saved

The new bulbs, or compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) to give them their proper name can use up to 80% less energy. It is estimated that by 2020 using them will have saved the equivalent of Romania's annual electricity usage.

However, as they come in strange shapes and do not emit light immediately they have attracted critics. Light sensitive people are also said to suffer from them and there are concerns that they release mercury.

However, Mr Eickhout said that since most electricity plants burn coal, which releases mercury, and incandescent bulbs use much more electricity, they actually lead to the release of more mercury than CFLs.