The second stage of the EU regulation on the phase-out of incandescent lamps will be coming into force from September 2010. From then on, not only will 75-Watt bulbs gradually disappear from shop shelves, but a uniform Europe-wide duty to inform will also apply to lamps. This move will give consumers greater transparency when faced with the wide range of energy-efficient lamps.

The mandatory data to be provided in future will extend from the service life to the start-up time and the mercury content. The most important changes for consumers concern the specification of the light output and the use of the label "energy-saving lamp" on packaging.
"Lumens" replace "Watts": the higher the number, the lighter the lamp
The biggest change is that the designation "Watt" used up to now is to make way for the term "Lumen". The new technologies (compact fluorescent lamps, halogen and LED) generate light at a quite different outputs, so that wattages can no longer serve as a basis for comparison. Lumens quantify the amount of light that a lamp emits in all directions. So in future, the rule will be: more lumens equals more light.
Only products in energy class A will be deemed genuine energy-saving lamps
Only lamps in energy class A – i.e. LED lamps and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLi) – will be permitted to bear the designation "energy-saving lamp" in future. The figure on the packaging specifying the energy saving made in comparison with an incandescent lamp must be precise and verifiable. The percentage energy saving may no longer be stated on the packaging of lamps which do not comply with energy class A, such as halogen lamps.
On its packaging, OSRAM will be providing the information prescribed by law, along with further details on the service life, dimmability, light color (in Kelvin) and features such as Quick Light, summarizing them in a clear table based on the familiar one used to provide nutritional information on foodstuffs packaging. This will give consumers all the information they need at a glance.