Lights out for traditional bulbs: lobbyism and government intervention

On September 1, 2012, the final phase of the European legislation banning the incandescent light bulbs came into effect in the EU. However, the ban has encountered criticisms. Consumers have not internalised the benefits of replacing the classic bulbs. People opposed to the ban deplore government interference with free market. In dimming the classic light bulbs, the EU has been accused of keeping people in the dark during the consultation process and has not been forthright with the public and the Parliament concerning the validity of the data. One of the main questions this author wants to explore is the issue of whether the policy intervention has produced welfare benefits and innovation. Was the intervention justified? What type of discontinuance problems arose after the ban? These are questions that will be explored in this paper and are intended to understand the dynamic effects of policy intervention in energy efficiency.