•  WEEE Directive: European directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment
• RoHS Directive: directive on the restriction of hazardous substances used in electrical and electronic equipment
  
• Ecodesign Directive
• Ballast Directive: energy efficiency requirements for ballast for fluorescent lamps
• CELMA Ballast Guide
  
• Energy Consumption Labelling Ordinance (EnVKV)
• Energy labelling of household lamps
  
• EPBD: EU directive on the energy performance of buildings
• Energy Saving Act (EnEG): German law on energy economy in buildings
• Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV 2007): German ordinance on energy-saving thermal insulation and energy-saving systems engineering for buildings
• DIN EN 15193
• DIN V 18599-4
  
  

The WEEE Directive is aimed at reducing hazardous substances in waste. It is designed to help avoid waste generally, recycle it and ensure its safe disposal. The directive has been effective since 13 August 2005 and applies, amongst other things, to all gas discharge lamps, fluorescent lamps, luminaires (except those used in private households) including ballasts which are integrated in a luminaire at the time of disposal. Products covered by the Directive carry the identifying symbol of a "crossed-out wheelie bin".

The WEEE Directive was transposed into national law in Germany by the Act Governing the Sale, Return and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act – ElektroG).

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The RoHS Directive is designed to reduce the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. It entered into force on 1 July 2006 and limits the amounts of lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, flame retardant polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in products.

The RoHS Directive was transposed into national law in Germany with the adoption of the Act Governing the Sale, Return and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment (Electrical and Electronic Equipment Act – ElektroG).
 

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The Ecodesign Directive is a framework directive which EU member states were required to transpose into national law by the end of 2007 and which Germany implemented with the Act Governing the Ecodesign of Energy Using Products (EPBG). The framework directive forms the basis for implementing measures, including those for road and office lighting as well as lighting in the private domain.

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The Directive 2000/55/EC applies to mains-operated ballasts for fluorescent lamps, either as single components or integrated in luminaires, as defined in European Standard EN 50294, point 3.4 . It does not apply to ballasts for other gas discharge lamps or electronic ballasts operating on a DC circuit.The directive sets out maximum limits on the input power of ballast-lamp circuits. To establish system input power, p.f. correction capacitors must also be taken into account – this is the outcome of legal scrutiny within the German electrical and electronic manufacturers' association ZVEI. Where series capacitors are used,  input power limits are normally exceeded. Hence their prohibition since 21 May 2002. Detailed information is contained in the "Guide to the Application of Directive 2000/55/EC on Energy Efficiency Requirements for Ballasts for Fluorescent Lamps" published by the Electric Luminaires Division of the ZVEI. 

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In order to identify the energy wasters of the ballast community, a system of  ballast classification has been developed by CELMA. Class D ballasts have not been permitted since 21 May 2002, class C ballasts since 21 November 2005. The classes "D" and "C" correspond to the prohibition phases "I" and "II" of the Ballast Directive 2000/55/EC:

A1 Dimmable electronic ballasts (EBs)
 
A2 Electronic ballasts (EBs) with reduced losses
 
A3 Electronic ballasts (EBs)
 
B1 Magnetic ballasts with very low losses (LLBs)
 
B2 Magnetic ballasts with low losses (LLBs)
 
C Magnetic ballasts with moderate losses (CBs)
 
D Magnetic ballasts with very high losses (CBs)  

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This ordinance defines energy consumption limits that must not be exceeded by domestic appliances and ballasts. Its purpose is to promote demand for energy-efficient products.

Detailed information is contained in the unofficial table of contents published by the Federal Ministry of Justice (only in german).
 

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Directive 98/11/EC defines the criteria for establishing the energy efficiency of household lamps. This is to help consumers contemplating a purchase to decide in favour of an environmentally sound product.

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The objective of the EPBD is to improve the energy efficiency of new and refurbished buildings with a floor area of 1,000 square metres or more and thus reduce CO2 production. It came into effect on 4 January 2006. 

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The EnEG forms the basis for the implementation of the EU directive on the energy performance of buildings. The first law entered into force on 29 July 1976 and was renewed by the second EnEG on 8 September 2005. What was than needed for full implementation was a revision of the Energy Saving Ordinance (EnEV), which has now been delivered in the form of the new EnEV 2007.

Detailed information is contained in the unofficial table of contents published by the Federal Ministry of Justice (only in german).

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The basis for the EnEV 2007 is furnished by the Energy Saving Act (EnEG). The existing EnEV was renewed to pave the way for the complete implementation of the EU directive on the energy performance of buildings. The EnEV amendment (EnEV 2007) has been in force since 1 October 2007. It prescribes the energy certificate that is used to calculate and document the total energy requirements of a property – including  the energy consumed for lighting in the case of non-residential buildings. Detailed information about the EnEV 2007 is contained in the unofficial version published by the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning and www.enev-online.de.

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The European standard EN 15193 "Energy performance of buildings – Energy requirements for lighting" provides a uniform basis across Europe for calculating the energy consumed for lighting.  In Germany, the rules are set out in EnEV 2007, which refers to the pre-standard DIN V 18599-4.
 
The pre-standard can be ordered at www.beuth.de.

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