"The Regulation prohibits placing classic light bulbs with an incandescent wire of 100 W and above on the market, but not the sale of those which are to be found on the market until the date of application of the Regulation. In this way, distributors are allowed to sell the stock of light bulbs that they imported until July 1st, and it is forbidden to import, i.e. place these kinds of bulbs on the market after the mentioned date," the Ministry said.
The technical requirements of eco-design for classic bulbs will be applied, as they added, in phases. This means that after the ban for placing the incandescent bulbs of 100 W and greater on the market from 1st July, the same shall apply to bulbs of 75 W or more from January 1st, 2019, and for bulbs of 60 W and greater from July 1st, 2019, and from January 1st, 2020, all conventional incandescent bulbs will not be allowed on the market , except those based on a new, more energy-efficient technology.
The Ministry states that the Regulation is one of the 16 regulations which defines the introduction of eco-design requirements for certain product groups affecting energy consumption, which prescribe the gradual elimination of certain technologies from the market, according to EU practice implementing this process since 2012.
Other regulations issued by the Ministry of Economy relate to refrigeration and air conditioning equipment, washing and drying machines and dishwashers, televisions, electric power supplies, set-top boxes, electric motors, fans, water pumps and circulation pumps. "The Ministry of Economy has had intensive communication with importers and distributors, as well as with inspection authorities in the past half year, and through a series of meetings and workshops, they worked on informing and preparing for the obligations arising from this and other regulations. The establishment of a legal framework regulating the introduction of applications for eco-design and labeling of energy efficiency (energy class of devices) has been supported by the German Association for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD)," said the Ministry.
Text by Biljana Matijasevic, on June 29th, 2018, read more at Vijesti
