While the first electronically ballasted CFL have been manufactured since early 1980's, they started to sell them more massively at the end of 1990's. Before that, magnetically ballasted CFL (like Philips Prismatic) were rather offered. It was so at least in our country. Possibly in the whole Europe...?

I wonder what was behind that, say 15-year delay?
The electronics reliability?
Its price?
Anything else?

Likely the price.

Electronic CFLs like Osram Dulux EL and Philips SL Electronic, were very expensive (Here they were costed 100₪ for the 23W version). Than companies began to scrap the quality of the lamps and move the production to China to make them cheaper. Here in Israel, during the beginning of the 2000's, the CFL began to caught after stickers like Eurolux, Luxten, Hyundai, A.M.A.L, Sunlight (Nisko) and etc popped out at much lower price than the original Osram and Philips.