It lays down the ecodesign rules applicable to certain types of lamps to be used for general lighting with a view to reducing their environmental impact.

KEY POINTS

The regulation applies specifically to:

fluorescent lamps without integrated ballast*;
high intensity discharge lamps*;
ballasts* and luminaires* able to operate such lamps.

Ecodesign requirements

This regulation defines ecodesign requirements in 6 progressive stages (the last remaining stage will apply from 2018) each representing a gradual increase in the targets and/or extending the scope of the requirements to new sub-categories of products. These requirements concern:

lamps — they must meet efficacy, performance and information requirements. Different types of lamps must reach a certain luminous efficacy in each wattage category, and meet lamp life and lamp lumen maintenance requirements. Manufacturers must also provide information on number of elements including:
- the wattage (the amount of energy required to light a bulb);
- lamp lumen (the amount of light produced by a bulb);
- efficacy;
- maintenance factor;
- mercury content; and
- colour temperature of the lamps.
ballasts — they must meet energy performance and information requirements. When the lamps are switched on, the ballasts must comply with minimum efficacy thresholds. Manufacturers of ballasts must provide information on the energy efficiency index of products.
luminaires — they must meet energy performance, compatibility and information requirements. The power consumption of luminaires must not exceed that of the incorporated ballasts when they do not emit any light. Manufacturers of luminaires must provide information on the efficiency of all ballasts and lamps sold with a luminaire, as well as maintenance and disassembly instructions.

Conformity

Manufacturers or their representatives are required to carry out a conformity assessment before placing an energy-using product on the market.

Verification procedures for market surveillance purposes

National authorities of EU countries must apply market surveillance procedures regarding:

lamps — tests are carried out on a sample batch of a minimum of 20 lamps of the same model from the same manufacturer. The average results must not vary from the limit, threshold or declared values by more than 10 %;
ballasts and luminaires — tests are carried on 1 single unit. The results obtained must not exceed the limit values. Otherwise, 3 more units must be tested.

FROM WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

It has applied since 13 April 2009.

BACKGROUND

For more information, see:

‘Lighting’ on the European Commission's website.

* KEY TERMS

Fluorescent lamps without integrated ballast: discharge lamps of the low-pressure mercury type in which most of the light is emitted through the excitement of the molecules of one or more layers of phosphors by ultraviolet radiation from the discharge. They may be single- or double-capped and are without integrated ballast.

High intensity discharge lamps: lamps in which the light is produced, directly or indirectly, by an electric discharge through a gas, a metal vapour or a mixture of several gases and vapours, and in which the light-producing arc is stabilised by wall temperature and the arc has a bulb wall loading in excess of 3 watts per square centimetre.

Ballasts: devices which serve mainly to limit the current of the lamp(s) to the required value.

Luminaires: pieces of apparatus which distribute, filter or transform the light transmitted from one or more light sources and which include all the parts necessary for supporting, fixing and protecting the light sources.

MAIN DOCUMENT

Commission Regulation (EC) No 245/2009 of 18 March 2009 implementing Directive 2005/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to ecodesign requirements for fluorescent lamps without integrated ballast, for high intensity discharge lamps, and for ballasts and luminaires able to operate such lamps, and repealing Directive 2000/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (OJ L 76, 24.3.2009, pp. 17-44)

The successive amendments and corrections to Regulation (EC) No 245/2009 have been incorporated into the basic text. This consolidated version is of documentary value only.