Brussels, 28/01/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 28 January, as part of the second Sustainable Energy Week (see EUROPE 9588), manufacturers of electric light bulbs, distributors and the electricity industry, represented by the European Lamp Companies Federation (ELCF), EuroCommerce and Eurelectric signed an agreement to promote the use of energy efficient light bulbs. Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs attended the signing. “Housing and office lighting is a major area of electricity consumption and therefore a prime target for energy efficiency action. Today's agreement for the Promotion of Efficient Lighting demonstrates the leadership out three sectors are taking to promote environmental sustainability, and combat climate change,” says a joint press release signed by the Secretaries General of ELCF and EuroCommerce, Gerald Strickland and Xavier Durieu and Eurelectric President Rafael Miranda. Under the terms of the agreement, the three associations will encourage their members to promote and support the distribution and market penetration of energy efficient lamps in households and offices. “The market penetration of energy efficient lamps is, to date, relatively low in most EU countries. However, a recent study by McKinsey Quarterly identifies lighting as the sector with the third lowest cost for the adoption of greenhouse gas abatement measures,” the press release goes on. It says that the agreement promotes compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) as an energy efficient alternative to conventional incandescent lamps. It also underlines the need for the lamps to comply with stringent quality requirements, as set out in the EcoProfile on CFLi lamps, which ensures the guarantee of life duration, energy performance and lighting quality of CFLs sold in Europe. The text of the agreement is available at the internet sites of the three associations: http://www.eurelectric.org , http://www.eurocommerce.be and http://www.elcfed.org (E.H.)