Open Letter to the EC re UV lighting products

EAZWV has joined a host of organizations to request the European Commission provide an exemption that ensures availability of UV lighting products necessary to ensure the health and welfare of animals under human care.

We received the following response:

Dear Sir or Madam, dear supporters of our open letter to the EU Commission on the ban on certain light sources,

We have received a response to our letter from the EU Commission, which takes up our request for an exemption for lighting equipment (special purpose products - animal keeping and husbandry). The exemption we requested was not mentioned or promised by the EU Commission; instead, we were informed that there are existing exemptions for certain product classes and groups, which can also be applied for in the future. For our part, it should first be checked whether the light sources used so far do not fall into one of the possible categories for an exemption. If this is the case, the relevant stakeholders can apply for a further exemption, which may even be permanent and not just temporary.

If there are still products that do not fit into any of the categories, we are open to a further technical exchange with the responsible unit of the EU Commission - stating and listing the relevant technical details. According to our initial assessment, this approach may have to be taken for basking spots. As the further procedure now depends on technical product details (e.g., socket, power or the amount of mercury used in the lamp), we will soon organize a technical exchange with various manufacturers of lamps in order to find out for which products an exemption may be possible and where we need to take other action in the interests of animal welfare and ex situ species conservation.