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		EU renews hypocritical lightbulb tax Wednesday, 29th August 2007 Decision is farcical, Tory trade spokesman says Brussels, 29th August 2007 -- The European Union's taxes on energy-efficient lightbulbs from China will be renewed for up to a year, a Commission spokesman has said today. EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson was keen to scrap the anti-dumping duties - with the support of many European producers who outsource production - including Philips. But German Commissioner Günter Verheugen - supported by German producer Osram - rallied the protectionist elements in the Commission to fight for a renewal of the duties. The EU currently has a target of reducing energy use by 20% by 2020, and the Commission is looking to phase out the use of traditional bulbs altogether. Syed Kamall, Conservative international trade spokesman in the European Parliament, said: "The European Commission has put the interests of one producer ahead of the entire lightbulb industry. British consumers will lament having to pay significantly more for their lightbulbs under the false pretence it may save a few jobs in Germany. Even German consumers will be harmed by this decision so Commissioner Verheugen cannot claim to be standing up for his national interest. "This decision is farcical and indefensible. The lightbulb industry wants the duties scrapped, consumers want them scrapped and common sense says they should be scrapped; yet the European Commission has once again bowed to protectionist pressures and opted to keep them."