While the heads of EU governments were last week agreeing on a climate change strategy and advocating that householders should fit energy-efficient light bulbs, several member countries of the Union were attempting to block moves to cut their price.
At the summit in Berlin last week, it was agreed to toughen regulations in respect of incandescent bulbs by 2009 as part of a strategy to cut greenhouse gas emissions. However, earlier in the week, officials from trade ministries rejected attempts by the European Commission to end five-year-old surcharges on imports of energy-efficient bulbs from China.
In 2002 a 66% duty was imposed in 2002 after European manufacturers claimed that Chinese manufacturers were dumping in European markets. The surcharge expires in October but Europe's biggest industrial giant, Siemens of Germany, which owns the Osram brand, is lobbying for an extension. The other big European manufacturer, Philips of the Netherlands, which pays a 33% tariff, and GE of the US, disagree. Ending the duty would cut prices to the level of conventional bulbs.
The Commission believes that Osram does not have the requisite 25% of the market to ask for measures but some countries, including Italy, last week asked it to do its maths again.
A spokesman said: "The Commission has not yet reached a definitive assessment in this review at this stage. It will do so in the next couple of weeks."
A UK government spokeswoman has been reported as saying: "Replacing just one bulb with an energy-efficient alternative can reduce lighting costs by up to £9 per year, or £100 over the lifetime of the bulb." It also saves tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions. Cuba, Venezuela, Australia and US states California and New Jersey, have decided to end use of incandescent bulbs.
EU diplomats are reported to have said that the late addition of the incandescent bulbs issue to the summit agenda was the personal initiative of Angela Merkel, German chancellor, whose country holds the Union's rotating presidency.
On March 1st, the world's three largest light bulb makers said they will push European consumers to switch to energy-saving bulbs in a bid to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The statement by the European Lamp Companies Federation, whose members include General Electric Co., Siemens AG and Royal Philips Electronics NV, did not give a concrete time frame or target.
The ELC said that their strategy would include "public incentives to encourage consumers to purchase more efficient products and setting performance standards that will eliminate the least efficient products from the market."
They estimated that if all inefficient traditional incandescent bulbs sold in Europe were to be replaced with more efficient bulbs -- such as compact fluorescent lamps or CFLs -- the continent would need 27 fewer power plants.
CFLs are three times as efficient as traditional bulbs and last much longer. But despite them saving money in the long run and being more environmentally friendly, consumers have been reluctant to buy them, mostly because they cost more per bulb.
Roche says make the switch to CFL bulbs
"Climate change isn't just the responsibility of Governments. All of us, in our daily lives, have the opportunity to help the environment by the choices we make. Sometimes it just needs a little encouragement." So said Dick Roche, T.D. Minister for the Environment Heritage and Local Government today following the publication of the Government's White Paper on Energy.
"We all know that the traditional light bulb is very inefficient. Modern CFL bulbs save 80% of the energy and last 15 times longer, so they help the environment and our pockets at the same time. Using long life lightbulbs, or Compact Fluorescent Lamps, for one year would save Ireland more than €32 million and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by several hundred thousand tonnes.
"The German Presidency of the EU has suggested an outright ban. However, this is likely to take some time. Because of the Single Market, Ireland cannot ban inefficient bulbs unilaterally but we could consider an environmental levy to change behavior, in advance of a ban, the same way we did with the plastic bag levy. I propose to include this proposal in the Government's new Climate Change Strategy which I will be launching shortly.
"Most people were very happy to change over to environmentally friendly bags, and the levy gave them the extra incentive they needed. We all know the result - 90% of disposable plastic bags taken out of circulation, that's over a billion every year, removing a very visible litter scourge from our streets and fields. The Funds collected from the levy also went to fund environmental programmes such as recycling."
The minister said that there is a need to bring about a similar shift in the way we light our homes and workplaces.
Old-fashioned bulbs may be cheap to buy, but they work out more expensive in the long run because of their short life and inefficient energy use. Any incentive to get people to buy energy saving bulbs, even a levy, will save people money in the long run, Roche said.
The European Commission says that taking the time to flip a simple switch or turn off your tap may seem insignificant, but if everyone took the time to do it every day, the results would be considerable. Review these tips for ways to incorporate energy-saving measures into your everyday routine. It has provided the following summary:
