Beginning tomorrow the second stage of an EU regulation for the phase-out of incandescent lamps will be coming into force. From tomorrow on, 75-Watt bulbs will gradually disappear from shop shelves. Retailers will be allowed to sell their existing stock, but production of the bulbs by manufacturers and importation of bulbs must cease.
As part of the phase-out plan a uniform Europe-wide duty to inform will also apply to new lamps to help consumers better understand the differences among efficient lighting technologies . The EU regulation to inform consumers about lighting seems very similar to the labeling requirements of the United States Federal Trade Commission. The mandatory data to be provided will include the service life, start-up time, and the mercury content. And like the U.S. labeling requirements, the most important changes for consumers concern the specification of the light output in lumens. The term Lumens will replace Watts as the measure of brightness.
