Problems with heatballs

A month ago, I had written about some people importing Heatballs for sale in Germany. Their first offering of 4,000 sold out and they proceeded to import 40,000 only to have problems with Customs. From the Heatball website:

A HEATBALL EMERGENCY
The local Government in Cologne declared on the 17th of November.

Customs held back 40.000 so called heatballs from China at Cologne-Bonn Airport. Strictly speaking customs discontinued the 'license for free trade', that is the technical term according to the EURO regulation. It means that the merchandise is held back until the matter is clarified . It needs to be clarified whether the heatballs fall under the ban of the EURO regulation 244/09.

It is well known certain light bulbs must not be marketed in the EURO. The goods could be such merchandise. Depending on the result of the clarification it will be decided what will happen to the shipment. The technical inspection will be done by the designated body as described in the regulation for energy driven products, ordered by the local Government. The named body is the association of German Electrical Engineers (VDE). Afterwards an additional juridical assessment will be done by the local Government. (The local government has public authority to survey the market)

The question of what happens to the merchandise therefore cannot finally be answered by the local Government.

EURO regulation 244/09 mandates that it is forbidden to offer for sale traditional incandescent light bulbs sixty watts or greater. Compact Fluorescent bulbs must be used. Hat tip to Lubo� Motl at The Reference Frame for the link.