Creating Growth for the Lighting Industry in Europe with new Opportunities
How to create growth for the lighting industry in Europe was the challenge in the strategy workshop of LightingEurope in May. With the economic climate improving, various opportunities around LED technology have been defined including lighting applications such as smart lighting or human centric lighting.
LightingEurope is an association that represents more than 1,000 lighting companies with more than 100,000 employees in Europe. The members of LightingEurope consist of major lighting companies that produce traditional and LED lamps, fixtures, lighting controls and gears and seventeen national lighting associations.
From an EU perspective, LightingEurope is the one-stop-shop for industry input on lighting issues for the European institutions.
Below is a list of the work LightingEurope has done on LED related EU policies: Innovation: In the EU funded lightingforpeople project, as one of 24 consortium members, LightingEurope leads the human centric lighting and communication package. The project aims to accelerate the uptake of high-quality LED technology in Europe by supporting open innovation and bringing validated information to all relevant stakeholders. The platform is a new information source for interested parties, such as municipalities, universities, architects and industry.
Environment: At the beginning of 2015 LightingEurope submitted 38 requests for ROHS exemption renewals to the European Commission together with
29 industry organisations. LEDs are affected by the use of lead. Lighting Europe is also debating with the European Commission and the European Chemicals Agency about REACH, specifically on innovative substances used in LEDs such as GaAs, InP, rare earths and nanomaterials.
Enterprise: Progress in market surveillance will be achieved with the EU funded EEPLIANT program on eco-design & energy labelling. LightingEurope is an Advisory Board member. Authorities from 12 EU countries will carry out testing and enforcement activities for 100 LED lamp types until June 2017.
For product safety and quality, we have co-developed the ENEC+ mark together with the European Electrical Products Certification Association. This first pan-European mark certifies the initial performance of traditional and LED luminaires.
LightingEurope is working for the proper classification of LED lighting products for customs codes. We fully support the publication of the recent Regulation (EU) No 1037/2014 according to which typical LEDs are covered by tariff class 85.41 with zero import duties.
LightingEurope will be proactively driving digitalized lighting, quality as well as energy efficiency. Lighting joins the ICT world with benefits beyond illumination such as smart lighting and the Internet of Things. We are building alliances with the relevant partners and strive to develop rules on data safety and privacy.
Supporting a level playing field in Europe, quality will continue as a growth enabler with our focus on safety and standardization.
We will exploit energy efficiency by shaping regulations on new eco-design requirements. The main focus will be to contribute to the transition from product based regulations to lighting systems, a combination of interacting light sources, luminaires and related equipment. New statistics from national luminaire data will strengthen our position.
Coming from the LightingEurope strategy workshop, it is obvious that a lot of work still lies ahead. One thing is clear; LightingEurope fully embraces the innovative opportunities around LED technology and will drive the growth of the lighting industry in Europe.
Diederik de Stoppelaar
Mr. Diederik de Stoppelaar, a seasoned lighting veteran, brings over 25 years of experience in the lighting industry to LightingEurope, including being instrumental in the founding of LightingEurope and serving as Treasurer from 2011-2013. Previously he was the global General Manager for the Vertical Outdoor within GE Lighting. Prior to his work at GE, Mr. de Stoppelaar has served in various management roles within Philips Lighting, as Chief Marketing Officer of Thorn Lighting, Regional Commercial Director of Zumtobel, and Vice President for Sales, Europe and Africa, of Lutron.
