Directive 2000/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on energy efficiency requirements for ballasts for fluorescent lighting

Directive 2000/55/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council
of 18 September 2000
on energy efficiency requirements for ballasts for fluorescent lighting
THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION
,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community and in particular Article 95 thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the Commission(1),
Having regard to the Opinion of the Economic and Social Committee(2),
Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty(3),
Whereas:
(1) It is important to promote measures aimed at ensuring the proper functioning of the internal market which, at the same time, promote energy-saving, environmental protection and consumer protection.
(2) Fluorescent lighting accounts for a significant share of electricity consumption in the Community and thus of total energy consumption. The various models of ballasts for fluorescent lighting available on the Community market have very different levels of consumption for a given type of lamp, i.e. extremely variable energy efficiency.
(3) This Directive aims at reducing energy consumption for ballasts for fluorescent lighting by moving gradually away from the less efficient ballasts, and towards the more efficient ballasts which may also offer extensive energy-saving features.
(4) Some Member States are on the point of adopting provisions relating to the efficiency of ballasts for fluorescent lighting, which might create barriers to trade in these products in the Community.
(5) It is appropriate to take as a base a high level of protection in proposals for the approximation of the provisions laid down by law, regulation or administrative action in Member States concerning health, safety, environmental protection and consumer protection. This Directive ensures a high level of protection for both the environment and the consumer, in aiming at a significant improvement in the energy efficiency of ballasts.
(6) In accordance with the subsidiarity and proportionality principles laid down by Article 5 of the Treaty, as the objectives of this action cannot be sufficiently achieved by the Member States, they can, by reason of the scale and effects of the proposed action, be better achieved by the Community. This Directive does not go beyond what is necessary to achieve those objectives.
(7) An effective enforcement system is necessary to ensure that this Directive is implemented properly, guarantees fair conditions of competition for producers and protects consumer rights.
(8) Council Decision 93/465/EEC of 22 July 1993 concerning the modules for the various phases of the conformity assessment procedures and the rules for the affixing and use of the CE conformity marking, which are intended to be used in the technical harmonisation directives(4), applies, except as regards marking and withdrawal from the market, where departure to a limited extent from the Decision is justified by the type of product and the specific market situation.
(9) In the interest of international trade, international standards should be used wherever appropriate. The electricity consumption of a ballast is defined by the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardisation Standard EN 50294 of December 1998, which is based on international standards.
(10) Ballasts for fluorescent lighting complying with the energy efficiency requirements of this Directive must bear the "CE" marking and associated information, in order to enable them to move freely.
(11) This Directive is confined to ballasts for fluorescent lighting, supplied by mains electricity,