Austrians angered by EU light bulb ban

A vast majority of Austrians disapprove the European Union’s (EU) light bulb regulation.

The EU’s decision to order an end to the production of regular light bulbs is widely considered as one of the most controversial steps taken by lawmakers in the past years. The decree was passed in an attempt to improve the protection of the environment by ensuring that only energy saving lamps are offered in the 27 EU member countries.

Now a poll revealed that nearly seven in 10 Austrians rejected the decision. Viennese research group Karmasin spoke with 500 Austrians to find out that 68 per cent are unhappy about the law. Only 25 per cent explained they were in support of the move, according to the study published by magazine profil today (Mon).

Bernhard Paul, who heads the tradition-rich Circus Roncalli, revealed in a recent interview with profil: “I bought all (regular light bulbs) I could get hold of in Germany because chains of lights are an essential part of a circus. We should not run out of them before I turn 100.”

The Austrian claimed the EU “jumped the gun because the LED lamps are not as good as regular light bulbs.” Paul explained: “The new models lack the colour spectrum red. What is supposed to be red looks grey with them – a horrible situation for a circus.”