Brussels, 15/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 15 October, the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council adopted a regulation extending for a year the anti-dumping duties that have been imposed since 2001 on imports of low-energy lightbulbs from China. 'The measures are aimed at addressing unfair competitive advantages resulting from the dumping of imports onto the Community market, but seeking an overall balance between the interests of consumers, producers and traders of energy-saving lamps, whilst taking into consideration environmental and energy consumption factors,' explained the Council in a press release. The duty ranges from 0% to 66.1% and will also be levied on low-energy lightbulbs from Pakistan, the Philippines and Vietnam, to prevent the circumvention of the measures through those countries. The decision will at least postpone the debate about Chinese lightbulbs by a few months (see EUROPE 9473, 9478 and 9490) but the Commission will have its work cut out for it in dealing with Chinese steel imports (see related article). (E.H.)