Brussels, 08/12/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 8 December, the Eco-Design Regulatory Committee gave its green light to the proposed regulation of the European Commission to phase out incandescent light bulbs between 2009 and the end of 2008, moving instead to more effective halogen or "Fluo-compact" light bulbs, known as low consumption lightbulbs, as they use up to 80% less energy. From 1 September 2009, traditional 100 W lightbulbs will disappear from sale, to be followed by 75 W incandescent light bulbs one year later, then 60 W lightbulbs one year after that and 40 W and 25 W bulbs on 1 September 2005. Certain less efficient halogen light bulbs (plus "C") will also be removed from sale from 1 September 2016. This decision has yet to be put to the European Parliament for opinion only, and will then be formalised by the Commission in the spring. (E.H./trans.fl)