GREEN PAPER Lighting the Future Accelerating the deployment of innovative lighting technologies
Date: 2011-12-15
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: energy efficiency, energy saving, housing, innovation, lighting, lighting equipment, research and development, standardisation

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Brussels, 15.12.2011 
COM(2011) 889 final 

GREEN PAPER 

Lighting the Future 

Accelerating the deployment of innovative lighting technologies 

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
GREEN PAPER 

Lighting the Future 

Accelerating the deployment of innovative lighting technologies 

Lighting  accounts  for  19%  of  electricity  consumption  worldwide  and  14%  in  the 
EU1. As  incandescent lamps are being phased out in  Europe2, new  energy efficient 
and  eco-friendly  lighting  technologies  start  to  replace  them.  Solid  State  Lighting 
(SSL) is the most innovative technology emerging in the market. It is based on light-
emitting  semi-conducting  materials  that  convert  electricity  into  light  and  comprises 
LED and OLED lighting3. 

SSL was first introduced in traffic lights and car lights. It is already widely used for 
lighting displays and TVs and is now entering the general lighting market. In the next 
few  years,  SSL  will  become  the  most  energy-efficient  and  versatile  technology  for 
general lighting and will provide high-quality light and visual performance together 
with new architectural and design options for enhanced comfort and well-being4. 

The wide-scale uptake of SSL could contribute substantially to the objectives of the 
Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth and in particular to 
its  energy  efficiency  improvement  target5.  This  will  have  substantial  impact  on 
European users (both consumers and professional users) and on the competitiveness 
of the European lighting industry. However, current SSL products face a number of 
challenges  for  wider  market  uptake:  they  are  expensive;  users  are  unfamiliar  with 
this new technology and need to develop trust in its use; the technology is subject to 
rapid innovation; and there is a lack of standards. 

Europe  already  has  a  wide  range  of  policy  instruments  in  place  to  stimulate  the 
uptake  of  energy-efficient  technologies,  including  lighting,  which  are  subject  to 
regular  reviews  and  updates.  Europe  has  also  acknowledged  the  key  role  that  the 
public sector can play to accelerate market penetration of such technologies through 
public procurement6. Therefore the question is whether new or additional measures 
are necessary and feasible at the European level that could help stimulate the rapid 
uptake of SSL. If so, which ones? 

Europe's lighting industry has a clear role to play in the transition to SSL. It is large 
and world-class, and is ready to build upon its strengths in conventional lighting in 
order to capitalise on this emerging technology. However, SSL market uptake is slow 
in  Europe,  and  SSL  related  research,  innovation  and  cooperation  activities  are 
fragmented4. In contrast, in other regions of the world, especially Asia and the USA, 

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6 

Guide on the Importance of Lighting, 2011, www.celma.org 
Commission Regulation (EC) 244/2009. The phase-out will be completed by 1 September 2012. About 
8 billion bulbs in the homes of European citizens are expected to be replaced in the next few years 
LED = light emitting diode; OLED = organic LED 
Second Strategic Research Agenda of the European Technology Platform PHOTONICS21, 2010 
By 2020: increase by 20% energy efficiency (compared to 1990 levels) 
COM(2011) 109 final 

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the  lighting  industry  is  moving  ahead  quickly,  with  the  help  of  significant 
government support7. 

To keep pace with the rapidly developing technology and global competition and to 
address the above issues, action is needed now at European level in order to achieve 
two closely interlinked key objectives: 

(1) 

in  relation  to  European  users  (the  demand  side):  raise  awareness  and 
demonstrate  to  consumers,  professional  users  and  public  procurers  that  this 
new lighting technology is of high quality and saves energy and money over its 
long  lifetime,  helping  Europe  meet  its  energy  efficiency  targets,  and  propose 
new initiatives to prevent early market failure 

(2) 

in  relation  to  the  European  lighting  industry  (the  supply  side):  propose 
policies which foster the competitiveness and global leadership of the lighting 
industry and contribute to the creation of growth and jobs in Europe. 

This Green Paper is part of the Digital Agenda for Europe flagship initiative8 under 
the  Europe  2020  Strategy  for  smart,  sustainable  and  inclusive  growth9.  The  Green 
Paper  sets  out  the  key  issues  to  be  addressed  in  a  European  strategy  aiming  to 
accelerate the deployment of high-quality SSL for general lighting. It is designed to 
help  Europe  achieve  its  key  energy  efficiency,  industrial  and  innovation  policy 
objectives of Europe 2020.  

The  Green  Paper  proposes  to  launch  a  number  of  new  policy  initiatives  and  a 
public debate in Europe with all interested parties for accelerating the pace of SSL 
deployment.  It  has  the  ambition  to  pro-actively  define  a  coherent  set  of  strategic 
objectives in the Union addressing both the demand and the supply side, as well 
as to lay down the generic conditions for achieving these objectives as a basis for 
future action for all involved players.  

The research and business stakeholders, governments, civil society communities 
and citizens are called upon to engage in this debate. 

Since the Digital Agenda for Europe is a cross-cutting initiative, this Green Paper has 
important links to several other flagship initiatives of Europe 2020. For example, it is 
proposing  to  apply  several  of  the  general  policy  goals  the  Union  has  defined  in  its 
new  Innovation10  and  Industrial  policy11  in  the  field  of  SSL.  It  also  proposes  a 
framework of actions related to some more specific initiatives of the Union such as 
the  Energy  Efficiency  2011  Plan6,  the  upcoming  new  framework  for  research  and 
innovation, 'Horizon 2020'12, the Thematic Strategy on Prevention and Recycling of 

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12 

The USA in 2009 put in place a long-term SSL strategy (from research to commercialisation). China is 
implementing a municipal showcase programme for LED street lighting involving more than 21 cities; 
it is granting significant subsidies to LED manufacturing plants and aims to create 1 million related jobs 
in the next 3 years. South Korea has defined a national LED strategy with the goal to become a top-3 
world player in the LED business by 2012 
COM(2010) 245 final/2  
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/index_en.htm 
COM(2010) 546 final  
COM(2010) 614 
http://ec.europa.eu/research/horizon2020/index_en.cfm 

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Waste13, the Key Enabling Technologies initiative14 and the Regional Policy Funds15. 

1. 

SSL: A NEW WAY TO LOOK AT LIGHTING 

SSL  technologies  for  general  lighting  applications  comprise  LED  and  OLED  light 
sources, luminaires16 and control gear. They produce white light in different colour 
tones and variations, from warm to cold white. LED lamps and luminaires integrate 
high-brightness  LED  point  light  sources.  OLED  devices  are  based  on  organic  light 
sources  (e.g.  polymers)  that  emit  light  homogeneously  from  a  two-dimensional 
surface  and  can  be  made  in  arbitrary  shapes  and  sizes,  including  as  transparent 
panels.  

LEDs are now a mature technology. OLEDs are not yet mature17 and only high-end 
small  batch  products  are  currently  available  on  the  market.  Their  importance  will 
increase  in  the  next  few  years  when  OLED  devices  will  enter  the  general  lighting 
market and will open the door to a range of new lighting applications. 

SSL is a breakthrough in general lighting in several key aspects: 

• 

• 

Energy  efficiency:  New  SSL  products  are  as  energy  efficient  as  their  most 
advanced counterparts (fluorescent or halogen lamps), which are close to their 
optimum  performance  level.  In  the  next  few  years,  SSL  will  outpace  any 
existing  lighting  technology  in  terms  of  energy  efficiency.  It  will  allow 
significant  energy  savings18  in  well  designed,  installed  and  operated  smart 
lighting installations19 and result in a significant contribution to CO2 reduction 
at European level20. 

Lighting  quality  and  visual  comfort:  SSL  offers  high-quality  lighting21  and 
visual  comfort  in  terms  of  colour  rendering  (vivid  saturated  colours  of 
illuminated  objects)  and  dynamic  control  (light  spectrum,  instantaneous 
switching  and  dimming).  It  has  long  lifetimes22  with  decreased  maintenance 
costs  and  does  not  contain  mercury.  It  is  easily  controllable  in  intensity  and 
colour,  allowing  adjustment  of  the  lighting  according  to  the  application 
demands or users' personal wishes. Ongoing studies also show that the ambient 
lighting conditions which some LED lamps create contribute to well-being and 

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18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

COM(2011) 13 final 
COM(2009) 512  
COM(2011) 615 final 
i.e. lighting fixtures and lamps 
OLEDs are expected to become a mature technology in the next 3-5 years 
According to reference 4, SSL sources can push potential energy savings up to 50% and combined 
with intelligent light management systems up to 70% compared to today's consumption 
SSL  lighting  combined  with  intelligent  controls  that  permit  presence  detection,  daylight  control  etc. 
SSL lighting can be more flexibly controlled in terms of beam angle, light colour, dimming or frequent 
switching compared to other energy-saving lamps such as compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) 
In 2009 the total electricity consumption in the EU 27 amounted to 2719 TWh (Eurostat), of which 14% 
for lighting. Up to 266 TWh could be saved assuming up to 70% energy savings 
Lighting  quality  includes:  colour  quality  (including  appearance,  colour  rendering,  and  colour 
consistency); illuminance levels (the amount of light a light source provides for a task or on a surface); 
photometric distribution of the light source in a luminaire; lifetime; ease of maintenance; and cost 
LED life expectancy is 25,000-50,000 hours (up to five times that of CFLs) 

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optimised  learning  and  working  conditions  (e.g.  in  schools  and  offices),  and 
positively influence people's vitality, concentration and alertness23. 

• 

• 

Design and aesthetics: SSL technology gives lighting designers and industry an 
almost  unlimited  freedom  to  develop  new  lighting  concepts  and  design 
parameters. It enables new forms of luminaires and lighting systems including 
their full integration into building elements (walls, ceilings, windows). OLEDs 
in particular will pave the way to completely new lighting applications and will 
be  a  key  part  for  developing  thin,  highly  efficient  light  panels  allowing 
maximum  design  flexibility.  By  combining  colour  and  shape,  LEDs  and 
OLEDs  will  create  new  opportunities  for  customising  personal  surroundings 
with light, thereby contributing to comfort and well-being. 

Innovation and new business opportunities: The combination and exploitation 
of  the  wide  range  of  SSL  characteristics  and  benefits  will  create  many  new 
business  opportunities  for  the  lighting  industry  and  will  lead  to  a  change  in 
business models: from selling light sources and luminaires to their integration 
into  furnishing  and  buildings;  from  selling  replacement  lamps  to  selling 
intelligent  lighting  systems  and  solutions  and  to  creating  new  utility-type 
markets for selling lighting as a service. 

Intensive manufacturing and research activities all over the world promise to further 
improve  SSL  performance  (i.e.  energy  efficiency  and  quality)  and  substantially 
reduce  costs  in  the  next  few  years.  For  example,  state-of-the-art  white  LEDs  have 
already  reached  30-50%  efficiency24,  have  luminous  efficacies25  of  100-150 
lumen/Watt  (lm/W)  and  a  colour  rendering  index  (CRI)26  of  80.  Target  values  for 
warm white LEDs in the next 10 years are: 50-60% efficiency, more than 200 lm/W 
efficacy and a CRI of over 90. State-of-the-art OLED products are around 50 lm/W 
today. While their efficacy is expected to always stay below that of LEDs, the added 
value of OLED technology will come from its size, flexibility and opportunities for 
new applications. 

In 2010, total market revenues of general lighting worldwide were around 52 billion 
euro  of  which  close  to  30%  was  spent  in  Europe.  By  2020,  the  world  market  is 
projected to reach 88 billion euro with Europe's share decreasing to less than 25%27. 
Current market penetration of SSL in Europe is very low: the LED market share (in 
value) reached 6.2% in 2010. Several studies predict that SSL will account for more 
than 70% of Europe's general lighting market by 202027. 

Europe  faces  the  challenge  of  removing  existing  barriers  to  deliver  SSL's  potential 
while  helping  the  European  lighting  industry  to  remain  at  the  forefront  of  global 
competition. 

23 

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25 

26 
27 

See e.g. report on "Lighting, Well-being and Performance at Work", J. Silvester and E. Konstantinou, 
Centre for Performance at Work at City University London (2011) 
Efficiency is the percentage of electricity, which is converted into visible light. For incandescent light 
bulbs it is 2% and for CFLs around 25% 
The  efficacy  of  a  light  source  is  the  ratio  of  the  light output  to  the electric  power  consumed  and  is a 
measure for the energy efficiency of a lamp or lighting system 
CRI is a measure reflecting how well a light source renders colours 
E.g., "Lighting the way: Perspectives on the global lighting market", McKinsey & Company (2011)  

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2. 

SSL AND EUROPEAN USERS 

2.1. 

A large potential for SSL deployment in Europe  

Lighting  is  an  essential  service  for  domestic  use,  in  public  spaces  and  other 
applications,  from  advertising  panels,  automotive,  traffic  and  street  lights  to  public 
offices and buildings. In Europe, professional lighting (non-residential buildings and 
street lighting) accounts for 52% of the total market revenues and residential lighting 
for the rest27. Office buildings use up to 50% of their total electricity consumption for 
lighting, while this share is 20-30% in hospitals, 15% in factories, 10-15% in schools 
and 10-12% in residential buildings28. 

While  LEDs  have  become  available  on  the  general  lighting  market  as  spotlights 
integrated  in  ceilings  and  as  "retrofit"  light  bulb  replacements,  recent  LED 
technology  advancement  has  allowed  their  integration  and  use  in  far  more 
demanding applications: street lighting, high-brightness indoor and outdoor lighting, 
retail  displays,  general  merchandise  lighting,  etc.  Shopping  malls  quickly  followed 
the  trend  and  some  achieved  energy  savings  of  60%  and  payback  times  of  about  3 
years29. LED lighting is also appreciated in hotels where refurbishments achieve up 
to  90%  higher  efficiencies  compared  to  previous  installations30.  The  potential  for 
LED deployment in Europe is very large, as 75% of existing lighting installations are 
older than 25 years31.  

First studies on the full life cycle impacts of LED lighting compared to other lighting 
technologies have already been carried out28. The full life cycle impacts need to be 
further  monitored  as  LED  technology  evolves.  In  the  future,  SSL  applications  may 
be widely deployed beyond the mere replacement of existing lighting systems, such 
as  integration  into  furniture  or  buildings.  In  the  long  run,  this  could  reduce  the 
expected energy savings, an effect known as the rebound effect32. 

Lighting  accounts  for  50%  of  the  electricity  consumption  of  European  cities33. 
Increasingly,  cities  are  developing  sustainable  urban  lighting  strategies  integrated 
with urban development policies and implemented in close cooperation with lighting 
designers,  architects  and  town  planners.  The  potential  of  SSL  to  become  the 
replacement  technology  for  more  than  90  million  traditional  street  lights  in  Europe 
and its fast evolution are motivating many European cities34 to launch pilot actions to 
familiarise  themselves  with  this  technology,  to  experience  its  main  benefits  and  to 
understand  possible  drawbacks.  Some  Member  States  are  funding  SSL  pilots  or 

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30 

31 
32 

33 
34 

Annex 45 Guidebook on Energy Efficient Electric Lighting for Buildings (2010), International Energy 
Agency (IEA) 
"Lighting energy savings in 10 Shopping Malls", LED project UNIBAIL RODAMCO, (2011) 
"The  European  GreenLight  Programme  -  Efficient  Lighting  Project,  Implementation  Catalogue  2005-
2009", JRC 
http://www.celma.org/archives/temp/CELMA_ELC_LSL_Presentation_D.Zembrot_EP_25012011.pdf 
"Addressing  the  rebound  effect"  –  final  report  (2011),  European  Commission  study  contract 
ENV.G.4/FRA/2008/0112 
"Énergie et patrimoine communal" (2005), ADEME  
E.g. Amsterdam, Berlin, Bremen, Brussels, Budapest, Eindhoven, Haarlem, Leipzig, Lyon, Manchester, 
Oslo, Rotterdam, Tallinn, Tilburg, Toulouse and others 

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various  innovation  activities35.  In  other  cases,  public  private  partnerships  are  being 
set up and take the responsibility for public lighting over a period of 20 to 30 years36. 

2.2. 

Issues and challenges for SSL uptake by European users 

A large range of SSL products tailored to the different needs of users already exists 
on  the  market.  However  many  challenges  still  exist  for  SSL  uptake  by  consumers, 
professional users and cities which require the adoption of a European approach. The 
following main issues must be addressed: 

Issues for consumers and professional users 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Low-quality  LED  products:  While  there  are  already  some  good-quality  LED 
products  on  the  EU  market,  many  LED  products  on  offer  are  rather  poorly 
designed  and  manufactured,  emitting  low-quality  cold  white  light  and  are 
mainly serving as replacement lamps. Consumers also experience much shorter 
actual  life  times  than  those  claimed  on  the  package37.  Minimum  quality 
requirements  for  LED  products  are  considered  a  key  factor  to  guarantee 
consumer satisfaction in LED lighting and to grow the LED market. Member 
States  are  responsible  for  monitoring  the  performance  and  safety  of  products 
sold in the EU market holding the CE marking label (market surveillance). An 
efficient  market  surveillance  scheme  is  a  prerequisite  for  the  uptake  of  high-
quality LED products in the EU market. 

High  initial  purchase  cost:  Rapid  advances  in  SSL  technology  components 
and  manufacturing  processes  and  heavy  investment  from  various  companies 
lead SSL costs to drop at a rate of 30% per year. However, in the foreseeable 
future  LED  lamps  will  continue  to  be  more  expensive  than  other  existing 
lighting  technologies38.  As  high-quality  LEDs  offer  long  lifetimes,  they  have 
reduced  maintenance  costs.  Professional  users  need  to  make  their  purchasing 
decisions  on  a  lighting  product  based  on  calculation  of  its  total  cost  of 
ownership (TCO)39. 

Users  are  generally  not  fully  aware  of  advantages  and  capabilities  of  SSL 
technologies:  They  do  not  yet  consider  SSL  as  an  important  low-carbon 
technology and are not able to weigh up SSL costs against its advantages. 

Insufficient or poor product information: When consumers decide to buy SSL 
products,  they  have  difficulty  in  buying  the  right  one  as  they  need  to 
understand  various  technical  properties,  which  are  not  provided  or  are  often 
poorly  explained  on  the  product  package  (e.g.  misleading  equivalence  claims 
about their light output, etc.). 

35 

36 
37 

38 

39 

E.g. Germany is financing a series of pilots "Kommunen in neuem Licht"; France is supporting Cluster 
Lumière that offers a platform for innovation of LEDs 
E.g., Birmingham City Council 
"Consumer  relevant  Eco-design  requirements  for  domestic  lighting",  BEUC  –  ANEC  position  paper 
(2011), http://www.beuc.eu 
The  retail  price  of  a  60W  incandescent  lamp  is  less  than  1  euro,  while  that  of  its  CFL  equivalent  is 
around 5 euro and of its LED equivalent more than 30 euro. Current forecasts foresee CFL and LED 
market share parity only in 2015-16 
TCO includes acquisition, maintenance and replacement as well as the energy costs 

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– 

– 

Concerns for biological safety (the "blue light hazard"): Concerns have been 
raised concerning health effects of LED light on the retina caused by the light's 
blue  spectral  component40.  However,  the  SCENIHR41  draft  report  on  "Health 
effects  of  artificial  light"  did  not  identify  any  evidence  that  blue  light  from 
artificial  lighting  (which  includes  LED  lamps  for  consumers)  would  pose  a 
particular  risk.  SCENIHR's  preliminary  recommendation  is  nevertheless  to 
consider measures against the misuse of artificial lighting in general. 

Rapid  technology  obsolescence  and  missing  standards:  Users  hesitate  to 
invest  in  SSL  in  view  of  continuing  price  drops  and  speedy  technological 
improvement  (LED  efficacy  doubles  in  the  labs  every  18-24  months).  Gaps, 
including safety gaps, currently exist in SSL technology standardisation. 

In  addition,  the  following  challenges  need  to  be  addressed  for  SSL  deployment  in 
cities and private buildings: 

Specific challenges for large SSL deployment in cities 

– 

Cities are not aware of, hesitate or do not have enough incentives to replace 
old outdoor lighting technologies by more energy efficient SSL: Today many 
cities are reluctant to use SSL widely in outdoor lighting mainly because of the 
relatively  high  upfront  investment  cost,  which  clashes  with  tight  annual  city 
budgets  (even  if  this  is  generally  offset  by  significantly  lower  lifetime  costs). 
Other  reasons  include  lack  of  trust  quality  certification  schemes  and  of 
standards to develop proper specifications. 

Specific challenges for SSL deployment in private buildings 

– 

The  landlord-tenant  conflict:  This  is  the  mismatch  of  interests  that  exists 
between the building owner, who pays the initial price of the lighting, and the 
user  who  usually  pays  the  running  costs42.  This  inhibits  the  adoption  and 
energy saving opportunities afforded by energy efficient lighting6. 

2.3. 

Initiatives for the uptake of SSL by consumers and users 

EU policy and legislative instruments applying to SSL products 

A broad range of EU instruments, both voluntary and mandatory, already exist that 
are relevant to SSL and will tend to support its further deployment through minimum 
performance  and  safety  requirements  for  SSL  products.  Main  instruments  include: 
Ecodesign43,  Energy  labelling44,  Ecolabel45,  the  Low-Voltage  Directive  or  the 

40 
41 

42 

43 

"Lighting systems using light-emitting diodes: health issues to be considered" (2010), ANSES  
Scientific  Committee  on  Emerging  and  Newly  Identified Health  Risks; it  advises  the Commission  on 
scientific issues related to consumer safety, public health and the environment 
Also known as "split incentives" conflict between investors and energy end-users or "principle agent" 
conflict. E.g., when comparing today's LEDs with fluorescent lamps, their TCO becomes superior after 
5-6 years of usage. 
Ecodesign  (http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/ecodesign/eco_design_en.htm)  aims  at  reducing  the 
environmental impact of products, including the energy consumption throughout their entire life cycle 

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General  Product  Safety  Directive46,  the  Directives  on  the  Restriction  of  Hazardous 
Substances  (RoHS)  and  on  Waste  Electrical  and  Electronic  Equipment  (WEEE)47, 
Green Public Procurement (GPP)48 and the New Legislative Framework49.  

These instruments are reviewed at regular intervals to reflect technological progress 
and possibly new EU policy in the fields. In particular: 

–  Measures implementing the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling directives and the 
Ecolabel  Regulation  for  light  sources  are  currently  under  revision  or 
development:  The  Commission  intends  to  adopt  a  new  Ecodesign  regulation 
that  will  cover  directional  light  sources  (reflector  lamps).  It  will  introduce 
compulsory  EU  legislation  on  directional  lamps  with  minimum  functionality 
requirements for all LEDs (non-directional LEDs already have to comply with 
minimum  energy  efficiency  requirements  under  an  existing  Ecodesign 
regulation)50.  In  the  revised  Energy  labelling  regulation,  the  Commission 
intends to include LEDs and all kinds of directional and professional lamps51. 

– 

– 

– 

The  Low-Voltage  Directive  will  be  aligned  with  the  New  Legislative 
Framework46. 

By the end of 2011 the new EU Green Public Procurement (GPP) criteria for 
"indoor lighting" will be adopted and the existing criteria for "street lighting & 
traffic signals" will be updated.  

Revised Ecolabel criteria for light sources in order to include specifically LEDs 
are under consideration for development in 2012. 

44 

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46 

47 

48 

49 

50 
51 

Energy  Labelling  (http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/labelling/energy_labelling_en.htm)  sets  the 
framework  for  developing  product-specific  energy  labelling  measures  to  allow  end-users  to  choose 
more efficient products through standard product information on energy consumption 
Ecolabel  (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ecolabel/)  is  a  voluntary  scheme  which  promotes  products 
having high-level environmental performance 
The  Low  Voltage  Directive  (http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/electrical/lvd/)  covers  the  safety  of 
electric products operating under more than 50 volts and ensures that only safe electrical equipment is 
placed  on  the  market.  For  products  operating  below  50  volts  the  safety  issues  are  covered  by  the 
General Product Safety Directive (http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/safety/prod_legis/index_en.htm) 
The  Directive  on  the  Restriction  of  Hazardous  Substances  aims  at  restricting  the  use  of  hazardous 
substances  in  electrical  and  electronic  equipment,  http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/rohs_eee/, 
while the Directive on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment aims at promoting the collection 
and recycling of such equipment, http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/weee/ 
Green Public Procurement (GPP) is a voluntary scheme at EU level. It is a process whereby public 
authorities seek to procure goods, services and works with a reduced environmental impact throughout 
their life cycle. COM (2008) 400 
Since  2010,  the  enforcement  of  performance  and  safety  requirements  contained  in  most  of  the  above 
instruments can rely on the New Legislative Framework (NLF). NLF consists of two complementary 
instruments: a Regulation and a Decision. Since 2010, the NLF regulation sets out a stronger framework 
for market surveillance of electrical equipment and lays down powers and duties of competent national 
authorities. They should carry out checks of products, both domestic and imported, on an adequate scale 
and stop products presenting a risk or otherwise not conforming to applicable requirements. The NLF 
Decision contains model provisions on economic operators obligations to which product harmonisation 
legislation 
should  be  aligned.  See  also:  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/single-market-
goods/regulatory-policies-common-rules-for-products/new-legislative-framework/ 
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/ecodesign/doc/meeting/ed_wd_dls_leds_hl_converter_v1.0.pdf 
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/efficiency/ecodesign/doc/meeting/el_wd2_-
_draft_regulation_on_a_lamp_energy_label_v1.0.pdf 

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In addition to the above: 

– 

– 

GreenLight52  is  a  voluntary  initiative  encouraging  non-residential  electricity 
consumers (public and private) to reduce their lighting energy use by installing 
energy-efficient lighting technologies in their facilities; 

The  International  Energy  Agency  (IEA)  is  currently  addressing  the  issue  of 
SSL  global  quality  by  developing  an  SSL  quality  assurance  scheme53, 
contributing  to  harmonisation  of  performance  testing  and  working  to  develop 
accreditation infrastructures54. 

In  view  of  the  identified  challenges  further  action  is  needed  to  accelerate  SSL 
deployment in Europe: 

The Consumers perspective 

– 

The lighting stakeholders and/or consumer associations are invited to organise 
awareness  campaigns  for  increasing  user  awareness  of  SSL  products  and  for 
helping them to understand how to choose the SSL products consumers need. 

–  Member States and the lighting industry need to ensure that SSL products sold 
in Europe conform to EU legislation on performance and safety requirements.  

– 

The  Commission  will  continue  to  monitor  the  developments  regarding 
potential effects of LED lighting technology on consumers' health. 

Questions: 

(1)  How  would  you  propose  to  overcome  the  challenges  outlined  above  for  the 

wider market penetration of SSL technologies in Europe? 

(2)  Which additional challenges do you see for a wider SSL market penetration in 

Europe and which solutions would you propose to resolve them? 

(3)  What  can  Member  States  do  to  reinforce  market  surveillance  of  product 

performance and safety in the area of SSL lighting products?  

(4)  What  could  the  lighting  industry  do  to  ensure  the  performance  of  SSL 

products? 

(5)  What  can  be  done  to  raise  awareness  of  consumers  and  professional  users  to 
SSL  technologies  and  which  specific  measures  and  incentives  would  you 
propose for accelerating SSL uptake? 

Creating SSL lead markets for cities 

52 

53 

54 

More than 650 public and private organisations have signed the GreenLight programme's commitment 
since its launch by the European Commission in 2000, http://www.eu-greenlight.org 
The scheme includes product categories, minimum performance value and product declaration marks, 
and tested value reporting 
"Implementing  Agreement  for  a  Co-operative  Programme  on  Efficient  Electrical  End-Use  Equipment 
(4E)", IEA Annual Report 2010, SSL Annex 

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10 

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Green Public Procurement (GPP) can be used by public authorities for supporting the 
wider deployment of  energy-efficient  lighting in cities or  buildings. Many Member 
States  have  adopted  their  own  approaches  at  national  level  for  supporting  green 
procurement. 

A  number  of  financial  instruments  already  exist  for  cities  to  finance  feasibility 
studies  for  investments  in  sustainable  energy,  including  lighting,  at  local  level.  An 
example  is  the  ELENA  technical  assistance  facility55  or  the  European  Energy 
Efficiency Fund (EEE-F)56. 

Enabling  cities  to  deploy  SSL  at  an  early  stage  would  permit  them  to  become  the 
leading  markets  for  SSL  products  in  Europe.  This  would,  however,  require  a  close 
cooperation  between  responsible  municipal  authorities  and  the  lighting  industry.  It 
would help cities understand the advantages of SSL and the range of existing choices 
tailored  to  their  needs,  benefit  from  best  practice  experience,  and,  define  adequate 
instruments for the fast deployment of SSL. 

In  order  to  prepare  for  the  creation  of  SSL  lead  markets  in  European  cities,  the 
Commission is considering the following actions: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Invite representatives from cities, the SSL industry and other relevant actors to 
set up a dedicated Task Force with the mandate to propose a roadmap and an 
implementation plan for the creation of an SSL lead market in European cities. 
Such  a  mandate  may  include  setting  up  innovative  financial  schemes  and 
public  private  partnerships,  as  well  as  mechanisms  for  the  sharing  of 
information and best practice experience. 

Invite  cities  to  use  ELENA  and  EEE-F,  existing  structural  funds  and  other 
financing mechanisms to plan SSL large scale deployment. 

From  2012,  organise  a  number  of  dedicated  awareness-raising  events 
addressing  European  cities57,  in  close  cooperation  with  the  CIP  SSL  pilot 
actions58  and  the  Member  States  and  Regions  supporting  SSL  pilot  actions 
addressing outdoor lighting along with all other interested stakeholders. 

Seek  new  mechanisms  that can be  used for the implementation of large scale 
pilots, demonstration and deployment actions involving smart lighting systems 
in  European  cities  and  regions.  Such  actions  are  included  in  the  investment 
priorities  of  the  new  Cohesion  Policy  (2014-2020)  and  could  be  the  basis  to 
build up a potential European Innovation Partnership on Smart Cities10. 

Creating SSL lead markets for buildings 

55 

56 
57 

58 

ELENA  (European  Local  ENergy  Assistance)  was  established  by  the  Commission  and  the  European 
Investment Bank 
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/eepr/eeef/eeef_en.htm 
Potential dissemination channels: The Covenant of Mayors; Eurocities; the GreenLight programme, the 
LUCI association; etc. 
A call for SSL pilot actions took place under the CIP-ICT Work Programme 2011, with a budget of up 
to 10 million euro. As a result of this call, a few pilot actions will be launched in early 2012 

EN 

11 

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Concerning  public  buildings,  policy  and  legislative  instruments  exist  or  will  soon 
enter into force that can also support the deployment of SSL: 

– 

– 

– 

Green Public Procurement can be used by public authorities for supporting the 
wider deployment of energy-efficient lighting in public buildings59. 

The  proposal  of  the  Commission  for  a  Directive  on  Energy  efficiency60, 
which is putting into practice key parts of the Energy Efficiency Plan, includes 
several  elements  that  could  foster  the  uptake  of  SSL  technology  and  lighting 
services  in  public  buildings.  In  particular,  it  proposes  that  Public  Authorities 
shall  purchase,  in  general,  only  products  including  lighting  products,  which 
belong  to  the  highest  energy  efficiency  class,  as  will  soon  be  the  case  for 
LEDs. The uptake of energy efficient lighting technologies in buildings will be 
also  fostered  through  the  obligation  for  utilities  to  implement  energy  saving 
measures  for  end-users  and  the  obligation  for  the  public  sector  to  renovate 
publicly-owned buildings. 

The Energy Performance  of Buildings Directive (EPBD)61 requires all new 
public  buildings  to  become  near-zero  energy  buildings  by  2019  and  will  be 
extended to all new buildings by 2021. Under the Directive, Member States are 
responsible  for  setting  minimum  requirements  for  the  energy  performance  of 
buildings.  A  regulation  is  under  preparation  providing  a  methodology  for 
calculating  cost-optimal  levels  of  minimum energy  performance requirements 
for  new  and  existing  buildings  (both  residential  and  non  residential).  The 
regulation  also  encourages  Member  States  to  calculate  and  set  cost  optimal 
requirements at a systems level for lighting systems for existing non-residential 
buildings or derive these from the calculations done at buildings level. 

Concerning  residential  buildings,  there  is  also  a  need  to  put  in  place  financial  and 
other incentives for users to buy and install SSL technologies. Innovative contracting 
models could also be put in place, where e.g. lighting would be procured as a service 
from  companies  which  carry  the  investment  for  the  SSL  installation  and  whose 
return  is  based  on  the  energy  savings  achieved  with  the  new  lighting  installation62. 
The  proposed  Directive  on  Energy  Efficiency  promotes  such  energy  performance 
contracting models. 

The  following  actions  could  accelerate  the  creation  of  SSL  lead  markets  in 
public and residential buildings: 

– 

Public  authorities  are  invited  to  promote  the  wide  deployment  of  SSL 
technologies when they renovate public buildings. 

–  Member  States  are  invited  to  provide  incentives  to  individual  consumers  to 

replace present lighting systems in their homes by SSL. 

Questions: 

59 
60 
61 
62 

12% of all existing buildings in Europe are run by public authorities 
COM(2011) 370 final 
DIR 2010/31/EU 
Similar models are already deployed for non-residential buildings and street lighting 

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(6)  What could be done to overcome the landlord-tenant conflict? 

(7)  Which  additional  measures  could  help  accelerate  SSL  deployment  in 

buildings? 

3. 

SSL AND THE EUROPEAN LIGHTING INDUSTRY 

3.1. 

The European lighting industry and challenges for its further development 

Europe's  lighting  industry  is  large  and  world-class:  it  employs  150,000  people  and 
has an annual turnover of 20 billion euro. The sector is highly innovative, but highly 
fragmented  along  the  value  chain4.  Alongside  a  number  of  large  global  players  it 
consists of several thousand SMEs, primarily active in the luminaire sector. 

In  the  area  of  SSL,  Europe  is  home  to  two  of  the  four  largest  global  LED 
manufacturers4,  although  actual  production  takes  place  only  to  a  limited  extent  in 
Europe63. Europe is also well positioned in the emerging OLED lighting technology, 
but is struggling to turn R&D leadership into business success and put on the market 
innovative  products  that  could  be  mass-produced  in  Europe  using  large-area 
manufacturing processes. 

The  wider  deployment  of  SSL  will  impact  lighting  as  a  business.  For  the  next  3-5 
years, the retrofit business64 is expected to dominate the SSL market underpinned by 
the  ongoing  phase-out  of  conventional  incandescent  light  bulbs.  As  LED  lamps 
become  dominant,  a  gradual  shift  of  business  will  take  place  from  selling 
replacement  lamps  to  selling  luminaires,  and  in  particular  to  selling  intelligent 
lighting  systems  and  lighting  services.  The  possibility  to  customise  lighting 
characteristics 
to  specific  users'  requirements  will  provide  new  business 
opportunities in response to the challenge of an active and healthy ageing population. 
Due to the high initial investment cost, SSL lighting systems and services will open 
the way for innovative financing models such as leasing or contracting, starting with 
large building installations and outdoor applications. Intelligent and communication 
systems  will  gradually  transform  the  industry  to  lighting  system  and  service 
providers. 

This shift to intelligent lighting systems and services will have a major impact on the 
luminaire  and  services  market.  Increasingly,  major  players  in  the  lighting  industry 
are entering the market of lighting services, engendering consolidation of the lighting 
industry.  Furthermore,  tailor-made  solutions  will  become  a  growth  opportunity  for 
the  lighting  industry,  benefiting  from  LED  technology's  potential  particularly  when 
combined with intelligent light management systems for creative lighting design and 
large cost savings65. 

This  change  of  business  models  will  require  enhanced  cooperation  of  European 
lighting  and  luminaire  manufacturers  with  many  other  players  along  the  extended 

63 
64 
65 

Today, less than 10% of LED chip production is located in Europe 
LED lamps replacing conventional incandescent, fluorescent or halogen lamps 
"The European Lighting Industry’s Considerations Regarding the need for an EU Green Paper on Solid 
State Lighting", ELC/CELMA 2011, www.celma.org  

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value  chain  including:  wholesale  and  retail,  urban  planners,  architects  and  lighting 
designers,  electrical  components/systems  manufacturers  and  installers,  facility 
management  and  building  construction  industry,  and  lighting  service  companies. 
Europe  is leading  the competition  in  building  control systems and lighting services 
and can capitalise on a large, vibrant and renowned lighting architecture and design 
community. Vertical integration along the value chain is already taking place and is 
expected to continue. 

The  next  3-5  years  will  be  pivotal  in  establishing  leading  SSL  market  players. 
European  industry  is  in  principle  in  an  excellent  position  to  build  upon  existing 
strengths  so  as  to  capitalise  on  the  emerging  SSL  technology.  However,  the 
European  lighting  industry  is  already  under  significant  pressure,  as  new  –mainly 
Asian– players from the LED backlighting industry for flat panel displays and TVs 
enter the general LED lighting market. All these factors will significantly transform 
the global lighting industry for the next decades. 

3.2. 

A European strategic approach for a competitive SSL industry in Europe 

It is from this background that a European strategic approach for a competitive SSL 
industry  is  required.  In  particular,  the  following  key  issues  related  to  the  evolution 
and competitive development of the European SSL industry need to be addressed. 

– 

– 

– 

– 

The "valley of death": SSL is part of Photonics, a Key Enabling Technology 
(KET). A High Level Expert Group (HLG)66 on KETs has identified the major 
difficulties  Europe  has  in  translating  its  ideas  into  marketable  products67.  To 
cross this "valley of death", it recommends a strategy comprising three pillars 
focusing  on:  (i)  technological  research;  (ii)  product  development  and 
demonstration; (iii) world-class, advanced manufacturing. Based on this three-
pillar  bridge  model,  the  HLG  has  made  a  series  of  specific  policy 
recommendations for more effective industrial development and deployment of 
KETs in Europe. 

Strengthening the SSL value chain (from raw materials to manufacturing and 
final products, including component and equipment suppliers): this is needed to 
overcome  existing  fragmentation  in  the  lighting  industry.  OLEDs  will  further 
blur the borders between manufacturers of lighting sources and luminaires and 
will accelerate the ongoing consolidation in the lighting sector. 

Fostering  the  cooperation  between  the  SSL  industry  and  the  other  involved 
players along the extended value chain. Enhanced cooperation is essential for 
the  development  of  new  business  models  and  for  moving  from  lighting 
products to lighting systems and services, where Europe has a lot of assets to 
become world market leader. 

The future of SSL manufacturing in Europe: The European SSL industry will 
need to take strategic decisions on the future of SSL manufacturing in Europe, 
regarding both LED and in particular the emerging OLED lighting technology. 

66 
67 

http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/ict/key_technologies/kets_high_level_group_en.htm 
http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/sectors/ict/files/kets/hlg_report_final_en.pdf 

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– 

Securing the supply of scarce raw materials and recycling of end-of-life SSL 
products: In the years to come, European industry will be confronted with the 
challenge of securing the supply of scarce raw materials68, which are required 
for SSL production but of limited availability due to existing quasi-monopolies 
and  export  restrictions69.  This  is  mirrored  by  the  challenge  to  improve  the 
technology  in  order  to  reduce  the  input  of  scarce  resources  and  by  the 
challenge to recycle them, in line with the Raw Materials Flagship Initiative70 
and related roadmap71. 

The further development of the European SSL industry, its innovation capacity and 
global competitiveness will also critically depend on the following issues: 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Standardisation:  A  strategic  development  and  use  of  standardisation  and  the 
effective  promotion  of  relevant  standards  worldwide72  can  help  to  position 
European industry as leader in global markets. 

IPR and innovation: Access to intellectual property rights (IPR) is a key issue 
for  SSL  competition  and  innovation,  for  both  industrial  heavyweights  and 
SMEs.  SSL  world  players  tend  to  cross-license  IPR  at  favourable  conditions. 
An  increased  cooperation  between  large  industry  and  SMEs  would  help 
accelerate the development of innovative SSL products in Europe. 

Access to low cost routes of investment: Innovative SMEs often lack access to 
low cost routes of investment, which would enable them to grow and leverage 
their  technology  know-how.  This  has  significant  long  term  consequences  for 
Europe  as  many  SMEs  will  not  be  able  to  invest  rapidly  in  new  SSL 
technologies which are vital to establish a long term, vibrant supply chain with 
such a disruptive technology. 

Learning  and  Training:  There  is  an  increased  need  for  the  lighting  sector  to 
attract and train new scientists and engineers in order to counter the foreseeable 
skills  shortage  problem73.  On  the  uptake  side,  luminaire  SMEs,  electrical 
installers,  resellers,  urban  lighting  designers  and  planners  and  more  generally 
public  procurers  of  lighting  require  dedicated  learning  and  training  in  SSL  in 
order to understand how to best install or use them. 

3.3. 

Initiatives for strengthening the SSL value chain 

A research and innovation perspective 

EU research and innovation funding and initiatives 
in the current programming period (2007-2013) 

68 

69 

70 
71 
72 
73 

These include in particular Gallium and Indium as well rare earth materials that are used in phosphors 
(Yttrium, Cerium, Europium) 
China currently controls 95% of the world's supply of rare earth materials and has taken measures to 
severely restrict their export 
COM (2011) 21 
COM (2011) 571 final 
See overview report "Joint CELMA/ELC Guide on LED related standards" (2011), www.celma.org  
See also ELECTRA initiative, COM(2009) 594 final 

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The seventh Framework Programme74 (FP7) contributes more than 90 million euro to 
support  research  in  SSL  across  the  EU.  Activities  cover  research  in  LEDs  and 
OLEDs  and  in  their  manufacturing  processes.  The  NMP  Theme  supports  materials 
research for more efficient light sources. The ICT Theme supports research aiming at 
significantly  improving  the  functionality,  quality  and  performance  of  SSL-based 
lighting  applications.  The  ENIAC  Joint  Undertaking75  funds  R&D  addressing  the 
development of affordable SSL solutions across the entire value chain. Further R&D 
opportunities  for  SSL  are  provided  in  the  respective  work-programmes  of  these 
themes for 2011-12. 

The  Competitiveness  and  Innovation  Framework  Programme  (CIP)76  supports  i.a. 
lighting-related innovation activities and provides better access to finance. The CIP 
Intelligent  Energy  Europe  (IEE)77  Programme  finances  several  support  measures 
related to SSL for raising consumer awareness, supporting Member States in market 
surveillance  activities  or  helping  them  implement  intelligent  lighting  solutions.  In 
2012,  the  CIP  ICT  Policy  Support  Programme78  will  support  several  SSL  pilot 
actions with about seven million euro with the aim of demonstrating the latest SSL 
technologies and to widely disseminate the results in Europe. 

Through  the  Cohesion  policy79,  Structural  Funds  are  used  by  several  European 
regions to enhance their capacity to change and innovate in SSL80. Their investment 
focuses  on  R&D  and  innovation  activities,  pilot  manufacturing  lines  and  human 
capital development e.g. in the emerging OLED area. 

The Commission is considering the following actions: 

– 

– 

– 

A  mandate  to  the  European  Standard  Organisations  (ESOs)  to  develop 
standards81 together with industry and relevant stakeholders, and in cooperation 
with international standardisation organisations. 

SSL pilot actions aimed at raising EU-wide awareness in SSL technologies by 
demonstrating their innovative character in public and commercial spaces. The 
pilots are planned to be launched in early 2012 and will work in close synergy 
with  similar  actions  launched  by  some  Member  States  to  maximise  their 
impact.  

Several initiatives of relevance to the KETs (and SSL) industry, whose launch 
is  envisaged  during  2011-2013.  Examples  include:  Horizon  2020,  the  new 
framework  programme  for  research  and  innovation  (see  below),  the  new 
cohesion policy for the period 2014-2020 (see below), the revision of state aid 

74 
75 
76 
77 
78 
79 
80 
81 

http://ec.europa.eu/research/fp7/index_en.cfm 
http://www.eniac.eu/web/index.php 
http://ec.europa.eu/cip/ 
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/ 
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/ict_psp 
http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/themes/research/index_en.htm 
E.g. Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saxony in Germany, Rhône-Alpes in France, Oulu in Finland 
E.g. addressing existing safety and interfacing gaps, methodologies for measuring the performance and 
lifetime  of  SSL  products  and  systems,  the  communication  of  stand-alone  SSL  products  and  systems 
with each other and with other energy systems 

EN 

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– 

– 

rules, the establishment of new financial instruments for supporting KETs, or 
the set-up of a scheme for monitoring progress in implementing KETs. 

In the last two years of FP7, the NMP and ICT themes will continue to fund 
R&D  on  new  lighting  sources  and  systems  and  on  novel  materials  for  the 
replacement  of  critical  raw  materials  such  as  phosphors82  or  on  full  three-
colour white LEDs. Particular emphasis will also be paid to standardisation and 
research of end-of-life, disposal and recyclability issues of organic lighting. 

In the last year of the FP7 ICT Theme, a dedicated action for SMEs could be 
introduced  aiming  at  supporting  innovation  activities  for  SMEs  (including 
lighting  SMEs)  and  at  facilitating  their  access  to  new  knowledge  and 
manufacturing capabilities. 

–  With  Horizon  2020  a  step  change  for  Europe's  research  and  innovation 
performance  in  photonics  in  general  and  in  SSL  in  particular  is  proposed. 
Under Horizon 2020, the Commission shall consider supporting the creation of 
a  Public  Private  Partnership  (PPP)  in  Photonics.  Such  a  PPP  will  put  a  clear 
emphasis on addressing the full research and innovation chain from materials 
to pilot actions. The Commission invites the SSL stakeholders to participate in 
the elaboration of the PPP's main focus and strategic objectives, its governance 
structure  and  role  and  responsibilities  of  the  participating  parties  and,  the 
industrial  commitment  and  the  monitoring  of  its  impact  through  relevant 
indicators. 

– 

In  the  investment  priorities  of  the  new  Cohesion  policy  (2014-2020),  the 
Commission  has  proposed  to  introduce  KETs  (including  SSL)  as  part  of 
regional  smart  specialisation  strategies83.  This  will  include  mechanisms  that 
can be used by the European regions for supporting KETs-related technological 
and  applied  research,  pilot  lines,  early  product  validation  and  large  scale 
demonstration actions, and advanced manufacturing capabilities. 

Questions: 

(8)  What  measures,  beyond  the  ones  above,  could  further  support  research  and 

innovation and the reinforcement of the SSL value chain in Europe? 

The lighting industry's perspective 

In order to overcome the challenges and shortcomings mentioned above, in particular 
the move to a whole value chain approach, the European SSL industry will also need 
to take action. In particular, industry is invited to: 

– 

launch its own industrial initiatives that extend the present scope and existing 
business alliances; in particular, it should strive to create win-win cooperation 
platforms  both  along  the  conventional  lighting  value  chain  (including  closer 

82 

83 

EN 

line  with  COM(2008)  699  and  COM(2011)25,  http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policies/raw-

In 
materials/index_en.htm 
COM(2011) 614 and COM(2011) 615 final 

17 

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– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

cooperation  between  large  lighting  companies  and  SMEs)  and  along  the 
extended value chain 

match  public  support  to  a  Photonics  PPP  under  "Horizon  2020"  with  a 
commitment to invest in Europe, including investing in SSL manufacturing 

work  with  consumers  to  develop  new  functionalities  for  lighting  applications 
which would encourage faster uptake and influence peoples' well-being  

work  with  the  European  Standardisation  Organisations  to  address  the  open 
issues related to SSL standardisation, including on safety issues, environmental 
aspects  and  procedures  and  common  methodologies  for  measuring  the 
performance of SSL products and systems 

further engage in assessing the full life cycle impact of SSL products 

use all existing mechanisms for launching vocational and lifelong learning and 
training  of  electrical  installers  and  resellers  and  of  other  professional  and 
public  users,  as  well  as  to  work  towards  amending  university  curricula  in 
lighting technologies. 

Questions: 

(9)  Which  other  actions  could  be  taken  by  industry  to  reinforce  sustainable  SSL 

manufacturing capacity in Europe? 

(10)  Which  additional  actions  can  reinforce  cooperation  along  the  value  chain,  in 
particular  with  architects  and  lighting  designers,  electrical  installers  and  with 
the construction and building industry? What should be the role of the Member 
States and the EU in making it happen? 

(11)  Are  there  gaps  in  standardisation  today  which  hamper  SSL  innovation  and 
deployment? If yes, where are such gaps and how can they be addressed? 

(12)  Which  actions  should  Member  States  and  industry  take  to  support  education, 
vocational  and  lifelong  learning  and  training  on  SSL  and  to  address  the 
adaptation of educational curricula to include the latest lighting technologies? 

Working further together to deliver the EU's approach to SSL 

– 

A  closer  coordination of the  efforts  in the field between the Commission and 
representatives  from  the  SSL  lighting  industry  and  the  extended  SSL  value 
the 
chain  would  be  advantageous.  The  Commission 
representative  SSL  stakeholders  to  closely  interact  with  the  Commission  in 
order  to  periodically  review  progress  achieved,  and  propose  launching  new 
actions for achieving the ambitious objectives set out in this Green Paper. 

therefore 

invites 

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4. 

PUBLIC DEBATE AND FURTHER STEPS 

The Commission believes that the initiatives, issues and questions raised above are 
the  key  aspects  to  be  considered  in  view  of  the  policy  target  of  accelerating  the 
deployment of high-quality SSL.  

Member States, the Parliament, and other countries are invited to promote the debate 
with their stakeholders. To support the debate on these questions, a variety of social 
consultation  website: 
media  will 
http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/digital-agenda/actions/ssl-
consultation/index_en.htm  

including 

public 

used, 

be 

a 

The  Commission  invites  all  interested  parties  to  submit  their  contributions  by 
29 February 2012. Contributions do not need to cover all of the questions raised in 
this  Green  Paper.  They  can  be  limited  to  questions  of  particular  interest  to  you. 
Please indicate clearly the questions to which your contribution relates. 

Received  contributions,  together  with  the  identity  of  the  contributor,  will  be 
published  on  the  Internet  unless  a  contributor  requests  otherwise.  It  is  important  to 
read  the  specific  privacy  statement  attached  to  this  Green  Paper  or  information  on 
how your personal data and contribution will be dealt with.  

The  results  of  the  public  consultation  will  be  published  on  the  Internet.  They  will 
feed into the reflection on the necessity for the Commission to take new measures in 
the future. 

EN 

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