British Screen Forum
British Screen Forum is where the best informed and most influential people in the UK screen sectors convene to interrogate issues of importance and influence policy and the thinking around policy.
ID: 661038313177-42
Lobbying Activity
Response to Review of ecodesign requirements for lighting products
7 Nov 2018
The British Screen Advisory Council (BSAC) is an independent, industry-funded umbrella group bringing together many of the most influential people working across the value chain in the audiovisual and interactive entertainment sector in the UK, including television, film, video games and digital media, including leading technology firms and ISPs. BSAC works closely with policymakers to provide an informed lead on emerging business trends and to provide advice on policy.
This submission is made in relation to the proposed revision of the EU regulation on ecodesign requirements (EU) 1194/2012.
Whilst BSAC supports the EU’s goals of reducing carbon emissions and the general aim of reducing energy consumption for lighting, we wish to stress the economic, technical and artistic impact on our sectors of the proposed draft revisions as currently framed.
Lighting touches the heart of the professional activities carried out by lighting designers and technicians in the live performance and audiovisual sectors. It is a core and essential part of a production and requires specific attention. The current EU Regulation includes an exemption for ‘studio lighting, show effect lighting, theatre lighting’. We welcome that in its proposed revisions, the Commission considers certain specificities of the live performance and film/TV sector, and partly exempts professional lighting products used on stage in theatres, concert halls, television and film studios and other venues. However, some serious concerns remain, as some of the technical requirements cannot realistically be met, or they impose restrictions on use that are not supported by evidence of their need.
Certain types of light sources which are used to a wide extent in theatres, concert halls and other live performance venues, as well as in film and television studios, are not taken into consideration in the draft proposal and there are currently no suitable replacements on the market. We therefore propose small but essential amendments to the Commission draft revision on ecodesign requirements in the areas mentioned below; these changes are essential for the continued professional creation of stage lighting in the context of a live event and studio lighting in the context of film and TV productions:
A. Exemption from Standby Power mode and Networked Stand-by Power mode
B. White Light Sources for specific needs
C. Colour tuneable light sources and the definition of wave-length of Green
D. Lamp bases for exemption when used in Professional Entertainment Lighting Products
Details of the amendments we seek are set out in the attached joint position paper (“Joint position on the impact on stage lighting and film/TV production of the draft Commission regulation on ecodesign requirements”) to which BSAC is one of many signatories from the live performance and audiovisual sectors across the EU.
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