G/TBT/N/AUS/86  
 
25 June 2013  
(13-3289)  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:   
Australian Government Department of Resources, Energy and Tourism 
GPO Box 1564 
Canberra ACT 2601 Australia 
Tel.:  +61 2 6276 1000 
E-mail:  ret@ret.gov.au   
Name and address (including telephon e 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 :   
TBT Enquiry Point 
Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade 
Canberra ACT 2601 
Australia Tel:  +61 2 6261 1202 
E-mail:  TBT.Enquiry@dfat.gov.au  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided  in addition, where applicable):  Electric 
Water Heaters (HS: 8516.10.00; ICS 91.140.65 ) 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  Greenhouse and 
Energy Minimum Standards (Electric Water Heaters) Determination 2012 (9 pages, in 
English)        
6. Description of content:  Note:  This Determination is for a product that was previously 
regulated by the states and territories as pa rt of the Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) 
Program. This Determination simply transitions existing requirements from state and territory legislation to nationally-consistent legislation. No new products have been 
regulated in this process, nor have new requirements been imposed or new test 
standards adopted. 
Under the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (GEMS) Act 2012 , the Australian 
Government can set mandatory minimum effi ciency performance standards (MEPS) and 
energy rating label (ERL) requirements for el ectrical equipment and appliance products.  
These requirements are set out in legislative instruments called GEMS determinations.  
Technical requirements for MEPS and ERLs are set out in the relevant Australian 
Standards, which are published by Standards Australia.  
Under the GEMS Act, if a product is:  G/TBT/N/AUS/86 
 
- 2 - 
 
  - covered by a GEMS determination;   
- manufactured in or imported into Australia; and - made available for sale on or after the date that the relevant GEMS Determination 
enters into force,  
then this product must meet the requirements set out in the relevant determination. The Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards (Electric Water Heaters) Determination 
2012 establishes minimum energy efficiency and product performance requirements, and 
associated requirements for conducting tests, for electric water heaters.  
Standards for electric water heaters called up in the Determination are: 
- Australian Standard  AS 1056-1991 Storage water heaters - Part 1: 
General requirements   
- Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard  AS/NZS 4692.1:2005 Electric water 
heaters - Part 1: Energy, consumption, performance and general requirements  
- Joint Australian/New Zealand Standard  AS/NZS 4692.2:2005 Electric water heaters 
- Part 2: Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) requirements and energy labelling  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  The objectives of the GEMS Act are to:  
- drive greater energy efficiency for regulated products; and  
- ensure that consumers can make informed choices to improve energy efficiency 
and reduce energy consumption, energy  costs and greenhouse gas emissions. 
The legislation also gives effect to commitments made under the United Nations 
Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). 
8. Relevant documents:   The relevant Standards are available from Standards Australia 
at: 
- http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store2/Details.aspx?ProductID=207827   
- http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store2/Details.aspx?ProductID=385681   
- http://infostore.saiglobal.com/store2/Details.aspx?ProductID=385689    
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    1 October 2012  1 October 2012  
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from date of notification 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:   The text 
of the Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standards Act 2012 can be found at: 
http://www.comlaw.gov .au/Details/C2012A00132   
The Greenhouse and Energy Minimum Standard s (Electric Water Heaters) Determination 
2012 can be found at: 
http://www.comlaw.gov .au/Details /F2012L02125