Lowering the btw tax on energy-saving light bulbs is a possibility but is not yet an option, environment minister Jacqueline Cramer told MPs on Monday.

The minister was commenting on recommendations from her Lighting Taskforce which says traditional light bulbs of 60 watts and above should be phased out by 2011 and energy-saving versions be made much cheaper through lower btw and a scrapping of the import tax.
But according to Cramer, people are already saving €10 a year on their energy bills by using the new ones. ‘You can earn back the cost of these bulbs in about 10 months,’ she told parliament.
Cramer is also asking for patience on EU import tax which adds 60% to the cost of energy-saving bulbs and requires action from Brussels.
Retailers have said they are willing to remove the old light bulbs from shelves if the new light bulbs are made cheaper, says ANP. ‘Customers say that price does play a role in choosing bulbs,’ Ed Hamming of the retail association told ANP. ‘And the customer is always right.’