In EU member countries, MEPS programmes have so far been less ambitious than those of some other developed countries in terms of the number of standards set and performance levels demanded. However, the EuP Directive represents a new approach by setting eco-design requirements for a larger range of EuPs. In December 2008, the EU member States approved a regulation (formally adopted by the European Commission (EC) in March 2009) for the progressive phasing out of incandescent bulbs by 2012.