JA2015EMCLVD LED Floodlights
THE INTERNATIONAL PROJECT JA2015EMCLVD FOR LED FLOODLIGHTS, FUNDED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, AT WHICH THE STATE AGENCY FOR METROLOGICAL AND TECHNICAL SURVEILLANCE TOOK PART, HAS SUCCESSFULLY ENDED
The international project JA2015EMCLVD for LED floodlights, financed by the European Commission, has ended successfully on September this year. SAMTS took part at it together with another 20 national inspection bodies, organizations and partners from the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, Latvia, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Swiss.
The project started in March 2016. Its focus was set on LED floodlights, which are new and widely used products by the customers for the lighting of their homes, balconies, yards and garages. These floodlights have often a photocell and turn on when detecting a human movement in the area to be lighted, which makes them even more desirable for the market. Organiser and head of the project was the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes). The main aim of the project was increasing the level of customer safety on the European market through joint surveillance measures between the member states of the European Union (EU).
Within the project the participating countries bought a total of 90 different models and brands LED floodlights. Their safety was tested. The laboratory tests have shown, that a large part of the products are inconsistent with the Low Voltage Directive (LVD) and the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) Directive. On a European level a total of 35 different marks and/ or products of the tested LED floodlights were withdrawn from the market and stopped from distribution. As a result of the project in the whole Union there were 12 notifications started in the European Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Rapex. Five of these were created by SAMTS. In the final report to the project, prepared by Mr. Hannu Mattila from the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency, it was noted, that the goal of the project was achieved through the measures undertaken in whole Europe.
Within the project SAMTS has bought and tested with European funding 5 different brands and models of LED floodlights. The results of the tests were negative. For all 5 products there were 5 RAPEX notifications started, which the European Commission approved. With the active support from the responsible economic operators and thanks to the actions of SAMTS those 5 inconsistent products were withdrawn from the Bulgarian and European market in an amount of 279 509 pieces. This was made possible after meetings with the economic operators, according to the Regulation № 765 of the European Commission. One economic operator organised on its own initiative a programme for a voluntary product recall from the customers.
The results of SAMTS and the successfully achieved goals show the power of the cooperation of the state authorities of the European countries and the usefulness of the project. At this project SAMTS presented its professional competences on a high level, and showed its place as a responsible institution and a trustworthy partner in the European Union.