G/TBT/N/AUS/142  
3 June 2022  
(22-4271) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  AUSTRALIA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if dif ferent from above:   
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade  
Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Products 
regulated under the Australian WELS scheme:  
Tap equipment  
Showers  
Lavatory (WC) equipment  
Urinal equipment  
Flow co ntrollers  
Electric dishwashers  
Electric clothes washing machines (including combination clothes washing machine 
dryers).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Australia/New 
Zealand Standard 6400:2016 Water efficient products — Rating and labelling.; (85 
page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  This Standard forms a basis for the rating and labelling of a 
range of products under the mandatory Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) 
scheme, as required b y the Australian Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 
(Cth) (the WELS Act) and, in New Zealand, the Consumer Information Standards (Water 
Efficiency) Regulations.  G/TBT/N/AUS/142  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
appli cable:  The objectives of the WELS scheme are to conserve water supplies by 
reducing water consumption, provide information for purchasers of water -use and water -
saving products and promote the adoption of efficient and effective water -use and water -
saving technologies. The Standard is one of the key tools used to meet these objectives 
through providing a means to effectively label and rate water using products, encourage 
the development and marketing of water efficient products and to enable consumers to 
clearly identify and purchase water efficient products.  
Amendments to the Standard have been made to improve the scheme and align the 
Standard with Australia's National Construction code. The amendments include:  
• introducing minimum water efficiency requireme nts for plumbing products 
regulated under the WELS scheme  
• introduce a minimum water efficiency for dishwashers  
• require the use of the (WELS) additional label for combination showers  
• change in colours applied to the 'Not Star Rated' label for showers  
• changes to 'text advice' text that can be used in place of the WELS label in the 
supply chain (primarily in supply advertising)  
• add guidance for displaying WELS information in building development supply 
advertising.; Consumer information, labelling  
8. Relevant documents:  Please refer to attached files. One is the current version and the 
other is the revised version.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  30 June 2022  
Proposed date of entry into force:  1 July 2023  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
WTO TBT Enquiry Point  
Office of Trade Negotiations  
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade  
Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
Canberra A.C.T  
Tel: Tel: + (61 2) 6261 1111  
Fax: + (61 2) 6261 3111  
Email: tbt.enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/AUS/22_3938_00_e.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/AUS/22_3938_01_e.pdf