Answer given by Mr Arias Cañete on behalf of the Commission
24.4.2017
The Commission relies on the best available scientific evidence as far as any potential health risks are concerned. In this respect, the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) opinion ‘Health Effects of Artificial Light’[1] reviewed the adverse health effects of artificial lighting and concluded that there is no evidence that blue light from artificial lighting constitutes a risk in practice and that all light-sensitive patients can choose light sources suitable to prevent an aggravation of symptoms.
A scientific Opinion focusing on potential risks to human health of LEDs is being prepared by the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) at the request of the Commission and should be published by June 2017.
Commission Regulation (EU) 1194/2012 and Commission Regulation (EC) 244/2009 include provisions concerning respectively ‘special purpose products’ and ‘special purpose lamps’.
These are intended, amongst others, to allow lighting applications for photosensitive patients requiring protection from the negative effects of the light source (Art. 2(4)(b)(iii) in both Regulations). As the review of the Commission Regulations concerning lighting products[2] is ongoing, the Commission cannot confirm, at the current stage, what forms of lighting will be available by 2020, but it is likely that the provisions allowing lighting applications for photosensitive patients will remain valid.
Commission Regulation (EU) 1194/2012 already specifies that the information concerning spectral power distribution is to be made publicly available on free-access websites and in any other form the manufacturer deems appropriate (point 3.1.3(m) in Annex III).