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Regulations are worse than both Free Market or Tax
http://ceolas.net/#li23x
http://freedomlightbulb.org/ "How bans are wrongly justified" 14 points, referenced (light bulb example, but similarly here)

In summary

1. Energy saving is not the only reason to choose a product, whether video cards, light bulbs (as mentioned in the comments) or anything else

2. Energy saving mandates change product characteristics eg performance, usability, size/weight/appearance as well as price
- or noone would want the products and a ban would not be "needed"
There is no "free lunch".

3. The bans are about saving electricity /CO2 emissions
Video Cards or light bulbs don't burn coal or release CO2 gas
If there is a problem - Deal with the problem.

4. Normally, mandating resource savings is based on resource shortage.
There is no future low emission and renewable electricity shortage

5. The electricity savings involved are marginal for maany reasons, as linked.
Far more relevant to deal with electricity generation and distribution (eg grid upgrades, smart grids etc)
and alternative consumption savings eg heating/cooling, or unnecessary product use
- than banning the personal choice of products.

6. The product bans are not for usual reason of being unsafe to use - eg like lead paint
The ban is simply to save electricity.
Clearly, electricity or its source eg coal could simply have price increases in that case
- letting people decide for themselves how they wish to use it.

7. Alternatively, the Video Cards could be taxed.
Some comments here imply the "tax would have to be big, and unpopular"
Firstly, being allowed is still better than bans.
Secondly, a tax could be used to lower the price of alternatives ie smaller tax is needed to even up the market,
in fact even a small tax increase likely changes consumption (and people "not just hit by taxes" in having cheaper alternatives)
Government can also gain direct income for other society purposes - unlike with bans.

8. Increase - not decrease- of competition is best of all:
Free market solutions are therefore best - also to save energy
Competition keeps down energy cost among electricity providers and product manufacturers themselves
Rather than ban some Video Cards, the EU could help new alternatives to market (including energy saving ones)
- and they in turn could use energy saving as a prominent advertising feature.
After all - supposedly we have "stupid consumers" who buy the "wrong" products, or a ban would not be "needed".
Given that energy saving is a product and consumer advantage,
then better consumer information (eg "energy star" effortds, product labelling, public campaigns)
along with appropriate "Expensive to buy but cheap in the long run" commercials, ads in Video/computer magazines etc
  (think of Energizer battery, washing up liquid commercials) is the way to go.

Politicians - often heavily lobbied by manufacturers looking for profits on new patented Green Technology -
love simple visible media-friendly report solutions that in reality mean nothing.
It is a pity that so many here in the comments fall for the same trick.

Hello aabrown
Thanks for your reply
I did read your linked source - and you obviously did not read mine!

First of all not allowing bulbs that don't meet a standard is obviously the same as banning them,
in anyone's language.

Secondly, those 72 Watt bulbs will be banned too after 2014, as Mr Pitsor knows full well :
(NEMA were in the Congress Hearings and pushed for a ban on the patent expired generic bulbs for profit reasons, as covered in the 2011 book "I Light Bulb" by Leahy/Brandston, the latter was in the Hearings too)
Those replacements are typically 20-25 lumen per Watt
The end regulation is 45 lumen per Watt.
That spells ban.

Overall, energy savings are not the only reason to choose a light bulb,
as they have different advantages, and the overall savings are negligible as described here:
http://freedomlightbulb.org/p/deception-behind-banning-light-bulbs.html
14 points, extensively referenced
- including a lot more on why it is a"ban" and how consumers are affected.

On the American side,
regular incandescent light bulbs are legal for Texas manufacture and sales since June 2011, signed into law by Gov Rick Perry.
Texas also has several Congressmen active federally against it, with bills and amendments
http://freedomlightbulb.org/2011/06/texas-to-allow-incandescent-light-bulbs.html
http://freedomlightbulb.org/2012/06/texas-hold-em-and-congressmen-fight-for.html

All the bills in US States, links and updates
http://ceolas.net/#bills

Outside the USA, Canada delayed ban for at least 2 years, BC suspended their ongoing ban: See the above sites for more
Mexico due to implement restricitions but their grid needs upgrading (common CFLs affect grids due to their so-called power factor)

Those interested in the incandescent ban topic can if they want follow
the Incandescent Light Bulb Activist Alliance on Facebook,
started a few days ago, with American and European politicians, lighting designers, writers and others
http://www.facebook.com/groups/bulballiance

On the American side,
regular incandescent light bulbs are legal for Texas manufacture and sales since June 2011, signed into law by Gov Rick Perry.
Texas also has several Congressmen active federally against it, with bills and amendments
http://freedomlightbulb.org/2011/06/texas-to-allow-incandescent-light-bulbs.html
http://freedomlightbulb.org/2012/06/texas-hold-em-and-congressmen-fight-for.html

All the bills in US States, links and updates
http://ceolas.net/#bills

Outside the USA, Canada delayed ban for at least 2 years, BC suspended their ongoing ban: See the above sites for more
Mexico due to implement restricitions but their grid needs upgrading (common CFLs affect grids due to their so-called power factor)

Those interested in the incandescent ban topic can if they want follow
the Incandescent Light Bulb Activist Alliance on Facebook,
started a few days ago, with American and European politicians, lighting designers, writers and others
http://www.facebook.com/groups/bulballiance

Very insightful comments Bedroll!
A tax would be more logical (bulbs just banned to save energy)
but as you say there are industrial-political reasons aganst it.

However, industry did lobby for and welcome the ban on incandescents.
Why welcome a ban on what you can or can't make you say ?
Odd certainly at first sight...but profits of course, from getting rid of the cheap patent expired generic light bulbs (like banning "penicilin"),
a profitability Osram GE and Philips executives have all stated openly.
Congress lighting consultant Howard Brandston was there in the hearings and wrote a book about it, I Light Bulb
- NEMA (manufacturer association) represented the companies in the Legislation talks:
" When I asked NEMA for help in fighting the incandescent light ban, I was politely told that they could not be involved in that" etc
http://ceolas.net/#li12ax
http://freedomlightbulb.org/p/how-bans-are-wrongly-justified.html#industrypol

That EU site was made in cooperation with the light bulb manufacturers who lobbied for and welcomed the ban in the first place.
http://ceolas.net/#euban

Re the supposed savings quoted:
Whatever about Johnny switching a bulb in his bedroom, he saves less than supposed for many reasons as linked below,
besides he might welcome other qualities in his lighting - eg broad spectrum brightness!
Society laws should of course be about Society savings, and even then only in comparison with other policies.

"The total reduction in energy use would be 0.54 x 0.8 x 0.76% = 0.33%,
This figure is almost certainly an overestimate.
Which begs the question: is it really worth it?
Politicians are forcing a change to a particular technology which is fine for some applications but not universally liked, and which has disadvantages.
The problem is that legislators are unable to tackle the big issues of energy use effectively, so go for the soft target of a high profile domestic use of energy...
...This is gesture politics."
Cambridge University Network using official European Commission (VITO) data, and similarly US Dept of Energy and other sources, as referenced.

That's not all.

Light bulbs don't burn coal or release CO2 gas
Power plants might, and might not.
If there's a problem - Deal with the problem

Far more relevant to deal with electricity generation, grid upgrades, smart grids, alternative consumption savings, as referenced

Not only is the overall saving negligible.
In effect it can be non-existent, and CO2 emissions may increase from a ban

Since "coal" use is the main environmental issue, and main usage of targeted incandescent bulbs is at night:
Coal plant night surplus output operation (hard to turn coal plants up and down also with newer "cycling" plants) means effectively the same coal is often burned - whatever the light bulb or even if it's on or off
Nightime electricity also from other sources, is cheap for a reason.
(DEFRA, APTECH data)

As it happens, CO2 and other gas emissions may increase by switching away from incandescent light bulbs, especially in cooler climates, as shown by linked Canadian, Finnish and Icelandic research, independently of one another (also see http://ceolas.net/#li11x).
That is, when the electric light bulb heat from a low carbon emission (like nuclear, hydro, solar, wind) power plant source is replaced by CO2 emitting heat fuel (like coal, gas, oil).

How Light Bulb and similar Regulations are Wrongly Justifed
http://freedomlightbulb.org/p/how-bans-are-wrongly-justified.html
14 points, referenced
.

Germans have launched light bulbs as heaters
Initially stopped but now set to be allowed as special bulbs

http://freedomlightbulb.org/2012/02/we-want-to-shed-more-heat-than-light.html

(with updates)

Energy saving is not the only reason to choose a bulb.
Moreover, consumers pay for electricity of which there is no future shortage given all the low emission and renewable development - and if there was a shortage of say coal, the price rise would reduce use anyway!

Why did the major Manufacturers lobby for and welcome the ban?
Would you welcome being told what you can make?
If so, why? :-)
Yes, profits from a ban on cheap generic patent expired bulbs
http://ceolas.net/#li12ax referenced

But OK - just taking the savings side of things:
Whatever about Johnny switching a bulb in his bedroom, if he wants energy saving rather than other qualities:
Society laws should of course be about Society savings
"The total reduction in energy use would be 0.54 x 0.8 x 0.76% = 0.33%,
This figure is almost certainly an overestimate.
Which begs the question: is it really worth it?
Politicians are forcing a change to a particular technology which is fine for some applications but not universally liked, and which has disadvantages.
The problem is that legislators are unable to tackle the big issues of energy use effectively, so go for the soft target of a high profile domestic use of energy...
...This is gesture politics."
Cambridge University Network, and similarly US Dept of Energy and other data, as referenced

That's not all.

Light bulbs don't burn coal or release CO2 gas
Power plants might, and might not.
If there's a problem - Deal with the problem

Far more relevant to deal with electricity generation, grid upgrades, smart grids, alternative consumption savings, as referenced via the previous links.

Not only is the overall saving negligible.
In effect it can be non-existent!

Since "coal" use is the main environmental issue, and main usage of targeted incandescent bulbs is at night:
Coal plant night surplus output operation (hard to turn coal plants up and down also with newer "cycling" plants) means effectively the same coal is often burned - whatever the light bulb or even if it's on or off !
Nightime electricity also from other sources, is cheap for a reason.
(DEFRA, APTECH data)

How Light Bulb and similar Regulations are Wrongly Justifed
http://freedomlightbulb.org/p/how-bans-are-wrongly-justified.html
14 points, referenced
.