G/TBT/N/CRI/198  
28 July 2022 
(22-5708) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  Spanish  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : COSTA RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible:  
Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía  (Ministry of the Environment and Energy)  
Secretaría Ejecutiva de Planificación del Sector Energía  (Executive Secretary for Energy 
Sector Planning)  
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 different from above:  
Centro de Información de Obstáculos Técnicos al Comercio  
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio , MEIC (M inistry of the Economy, Industry 
and Trade)  
Apartado Postal 10216 -1000 
Tel.: (+506) 2549 -1400, Ext. 506  
Email: crotc@meic.go.cr ; msolera@meic.go.cr  
Website: https://www.reglatec.go.cr  
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) : Domestic 
refrigerating appliances (ICS code(s) : 97.040.30)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document : Central 
American Technical Regulation (RTCA) 97.01.81:22 : Electrical products . Household 
refrigerators and freezers . Energy efficiency specifications (16 pages, in Spanish)  
6. Description of content : The purpose of the notified Regulation is to establish the 
maximum energy consumption levels, test m ethod, conformity assessment procedure and 
labelling for household refrigerators and freezers operated using hermetic motor -driven 
compressors, which are manufactured or marketed in, or imported into, the States 
Parties.  
It applies to household refrigerato rs and refrigerator -freezers of up to 1,104 litres (39 
cubic feet) and household freezers of up to 850 litres (30 cubic feet) operated using 
hermetic motor -driven compressors, which are manufactured or marketed in, or imported 
into, the States Parties.  
Exceptions:  
a. Self-contained commercial refrigeration appliances.  
b. Wine coolers/chillers, water coolers and dispensers.  G/TBT/N/CRI/198  
- 2 - 
  c. Household goods.  
d. Samples of no commercial value, depending on each State Party's procedure.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : Consumer information, labelling  
8. Relevant documents:  
1. 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 430, Energy Conservation Program for 
Consumer Products.  
2. AHAM HRF -1-2019, Energy and Internal Volume of Consumer Refrigeration Products.  
3. CAN/CSA -C300-08, Energy performance and capacity of household refrigerators, 
refrigerator -freezers, freezers, and wine chillers.  
4. NOM-015-ENER -2018: Energy efficiency of household refrigerators and f reezers . 
Limits, test methods and labelling  
9. Proposed date of adoption : To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force : To be determined  
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:  
Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio , MEIC (Ministry of the Economy, Industry 
and Trade)  
Dirección de Calidad  (Quality Directorate)  
Centro de Información de Obstáculos Técnicos al Comercio (CIOT)  
San José  
Tel.: (+506) 22 2549 1479  
Email: msolera@meic.go.cr ; crotc@meic.go.cr  
Website:  http://www.meic.go.cr  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2022/TBT/CRI/22_4997_00_s.pdf