ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 9 Industry News Updated phase-out dates for the manufacture and export of certain general lighting lamps The revised EU Mercury Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2024/1849), published on 10 July 2024 introduces a revised timeline for the phase-out of manufacturing and export of some mainstream mercury-containing lighting products which is stricter than the UN Minamata Convention timelines. It should be noted that the RoHS Directive and the Ecodesign Regulation for lighting products set earlier deadlines for import and placing on the EU internal market. Under the new EU mercury amendments, six mercurycontaining lamps will be made subject to a manufacturing and export ban from 31 December 2025 and 31 December 2026: • Linear Triband phosphor lamps for general lighting from the end of 2026. • Non-linear Triband phosphor lamps from the end of 2026. • Linear Halophosphate phosphor lamps for general lighting from the end of 2025. • Non-linear Halophosphate phosphor lamps from the end of 2025. • Compact fluorescent lamps for general lighting from the end of 2025. • Certain high-pressure sodium lamps for general lighting purposes (those exceeding certain mercury levels) from the end of 2025. Note that other HPS lamps will continue to be permitted. These six lamp families represent the vast majority of mercury used in the market in lighting products. However, other lamp types for general lighting and specialpurpose applications (e.g. MH lamps, UV lamps, emergency lamps, etc.) are still allowed, because of their dedicated functions, specifications and/ or spectra and the lack of appropriate LED alternatives which is the basis for the current RoHS exemptions. Note that certain products and applications are excluded from the EU Mercury regulation: 1. Switches and relays, cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs and EEFLs) for electronic displays and measuring devices, when they are used to replace a component of larger equipment and provided that no feasible mercury-free alternative for that component is available, in accordance with Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council and Directive 2011/65/ EU. 2. The prohibitions shall not apply to any of the following mercury-added products: (a) products that are essential for civil protection and military uses; (b) products for research, for calibration of instrumentation, or for use as a reference standard. Disclaimer This statement is not an official interpretation and is not binding on LightingEurope members, who are not responsible for any errors or omissions. The Small Benefit Scheme is a statutory tax relief scheme offered by Revenue that allows employers to provide a tax-exempt benefit to Irish employees. Budget 2025 - Small Benefit Scheme Changes The value of this was up to €1,000 per year, but it was announced in Budget 2025 that from 1st January 2025 that this amount will be increased to €1,500. This can include up to 5 non-cash benefits per year (an increase from 2 benefits per year).
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