The EU has banned the import of GU10 halogen spotlights and PAR30 halogen floodlights since September.

In September 1, 2016, according to regulation 1194/2012 of the European Commission (EC), the European Union imposed a ban on certain types of halogen bulbs. This regulation stipulates environmental design requirements for directional lamps and other lighting appliances in the EU market. According to the European Union legislation, "directional light" refers to the luminaire with at least 80% light output within the solid angle of "Pi SR", which is equivalent to a cone with a top angle of 120 degrees. Since September 1, 2016, the directional lights to be put into the European market must comply with the energy saving regulations in Table 2 of annex III of regulation No. 1194/2012 (also known as the "third stage"). The provisions of the third stage will take effect from September 1, 2016 and will apply to directional lights that will be put into the EU market. It is reported that the GU10 halogen spotlights and PAR30 halogen floodlights are prohibited from being put into the market after the implementation of the regulations. However, the regulation does not apply to the directional lights sold or stored on the shelves in the European market before September 1, 2016. It is reported that retailers in the European Union, especially in the UK, have accumulated large quantities of directional halogen spotlights despite the current ban. Although these halogen spotlights fail to meet stringent energy efficiency standards, they have been put into the EU market before September 1, 2016 and may still be sold in stores. These old halogen spotlights are popular with consumers because they are cheaper than LED spotlights. According to the report, tens of millions of old halogen spotlights have been accumulated in supermarkets and large hardware stores in the UK to ensure that customers can still buy them in the next few years. Under the regulation No. 1194/2012, the ban came into force in September 1, 2016, paving the way for the expansion of the ban in the future, namely, prohibiting the sale of low energy efficiency "D" halogen lamps. The ban was originally scheduled for entry into force in September 1, 2016, but the administration postponed the effective date for two years until September 1, 2018. The European Union is expanding the scope of the halogen bulb ban according to regulation No. 244/2009 of the European Commission. Regulation 244/2009 stipulates environmental design requirements for non directional household light bulbs in the market, including non directional household bulbs for sale for non domestic purposes or for other products. "Household light bulbs" refers to bulbs used for lighting household rooms, but does not include special purpose bulbs. Non directional bulbs are not "directional" in nature. The regulation No. 1 of the European Commission stipulates that the non directional household light bulbs must comply with certain bulb efficacy regulations in table II of annex 244/2009. The "sixth stage" of the regulation (originally scheduled for entry into force in September 1, 2016) will introduce more stringent light bulb efficiency regulations. In other words, inefficient D class halogen bulbs should not be put into the EU market from September 1, 2016. However, in 2015, after reviewing the regulation No. 244/2009 of the Commission on technological progress, the European Commission decided to postpone the implementation date of the sixth stage of the regulation for two years to September 1, 2018.