G/TBT/N/NZL/80  
 
5 January 2018  
(18-0089) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member: NEW ZEALAND   
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible: Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment P.O. Box: 10729 
Wellington, New Zealand Phone: +64 -4-9010 8603 Email: laurie.boyce@mbie.govt.nz ; 
Web: http://www.mbie.govt.nz  
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 indicat ed if different from above:  Energy 
Efficiency and Conservation Authority  
P.O. Box: 388  
Wellington, New Zealand  
Phone: +64 -4-470 2200  
Email: laura.christen@eeca.govt.nz  
Web: http://www.eeca.govt.nz  
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): Household 
refrigerators and freezers  
Refrigerators, freezers and other refrigerating or freezing equipment, electr ic or other; 
heat pumps other than air conditioning machines of heading 84.15. (HS 8418). Domestic 
refrigerating appliances (ICS 97.040.30).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposed 
changes to regulatory requirements fo r household refrigerators and freezers can be found 
in the Equipment Energy Efficiency (E3) Decision Regulation Impact Statement - 
Household Refrigerators and Freezers (November 2017, 84 pages) available for download 
at:  
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/news/decision -regulation -impact -statement -household -
refrigerators -and-freezers    
6. Description of content: The E3 Decision Regulation Impact Statement - Household 
Refrigerators and Freezers presents proposed changes to regulatory requirements for 
household refrigerators and freezers offered for sale in New Zealand and Australia.   The 
key changes are outlined below.  
Adoption of  an international test method to replace local testing requirements :   
Parts 1, 2 and 3 of the International Electrotechnical Committee  test standards (IEC 
62552:2015) will be directly adopted into a joint Australia/New Zealand Standard, in three 
parts as follows:  
 AS/NZS IEC 62552.1 Household refrigerating appliances - Characteristics and test 
methods - Part 1: General requirements  
 AS/NZS IEC 62552.2 Household refrigerating appliances - Characteristics and test G/TBT/N/NZL/80  
 
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  methods - Part 2: Performance requirements  
 AS/NZS IEC 62552.3 Household refrigerating appliances - Characteristics and test 
methods - Part 3: Energy consumption and volume  
The Australia/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS IEC 62552 Parts 1, 2 and 3 will then be 
incorporated into the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002 in New 
Zealand (subject to Cabinet approval) and the equivalent regulation in Australia.   The 
Australia/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS IEC 62552 Parts 1, 2 and 3 is expected to be 
published by mid February 2018. It will replac e the Australia/New Zealand test standard 
AS/NZS 4474.1:2007 Performance of household electrical appliances - Refrigerating 
appliances - Energy consumption and performance .  This will be withdrawn from 
regulation.  
The proposed test parameters are summaris ed in Attachment G (page 76) of E3 Decision 
Regulation Impact Statement.  
Update minimum energy performance standards (MEPS)  
MEPS requirements will be updated (subject to Cabinet approval) to significantly lower the 
maximum allowable energy consumption of refrigerators and freezers.   A new version of 
Australia New Zealand standard AS/NZS 4474 will adopt MEPS levels equivalent to  those 
adopted in the US on 15 September 2014, and will supersede AS/NZS 4474.2 Performance 
of household electrical appliances - Refrigerating appliances - Energy labelling and 
minimum energy performance standard requirements .  
The MEPS levels that will ap ply are set out in Attachment F (page 75) of the E3 Decision 
Regulation Impact Statement. The proposed performance parameters for MEPS are set out 
in Attachment G (page 76) - see Table 37: Generally agreed performance parameters 
(Option C) on page 77.  
The revised Australia/New Zealand Standard AS/NZS 4474 is not due to be published until 
November 2018 but a public comment draft will be available for viewing in April 2018.   An 
addendum to this notification will be issued when the public comment draft becomes  
available.   
Modify the Energy Rating Label algorithm  
The Energy Rating Label algorithm is not being re -graded but it will be adjusted to 
maintain continuity of energy ratings as Australia and New Zealand transition to a new test 
method and MEPS levels. Th e modifications to the Energy Rating Label algorithm are 
intended to:  
 maintain comparability between products registered against the outgoing test 
method and new products registered against AS/NZS IEC 62552  
 as far as possible, ensure that currently regist ered products able to comply with 
the new MEPS levels will have comparable ERL ratings when registered using the 
test standard AS/NZS IEC 62552, and will not be penalised with a lower star rating  
 ensure that ratings remain spread out across the rating scal e and that the lower 
rating bands continue to be used (these lower rating bands would otherwise be 
largely emptied due to the introduction of a higher MEPS level)  
 reward more efficient products with upwards adjustments to their star ratings  
 move the labelled energy to a value that more closely represents typical product 
use, which will encourage suppliers to optimise energy consumption and 
performance under normal use conditions.     
More information on the Energy Rating Label algorithm modifi cations can be found in 
Section 4 of the E3 Decision Regulation Impact Statement - Household Refrigerators and 
Freezers (see subsection 4.3.5 ERL algorithm parameters, on page 28), and in the E3 
report Household Refrigeration Appliances: New Star Rating Al gorithm Proposal for the IEC 
Test Method (June 2015), available at:  
http://energyrating.gov.au/document/report -househo ld-refrigeration -appliances -new-star-
rating -algorithm -proposal -iec-test.  G/TBT/N/NZL/80  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: The proposed measures will ensure the ongoing effectiveness of minimum 
energy performance standards (MEPS) and the Energy Rating Label in New Zealand.   MEPS 
and labelling will continue to function as a means to improve the energy performance of 
products an d provide better information on their energy use.   This makes it easier for 
businesses and households to invest in energy efficient products and reduce their energy 
costs. At a national level, this will result in lower household electricity demand and fewe r 
greenhouse gas emissions than would otherwise occur.    
 The proposed measures therefore contribute to the Government’s priorities “Efficient use 
of energy” under the New Zealand Energy Strategy 2011 -2021 and “innovative and 
efficient use of electricity” under the New Zealand Energy Efficiency and Conservation 
Strategy (2017 -2022), as well as the target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in New 
Zealand to 30 percent below 2005 levels by 2030.  
 Adopting these measures will also maintain alignment of regulat ion between Australia and 
New Zealand.   This helps uphold the two countries’ commitments under the Australia -New 
Zealand Closer Economic Relations Agreement (ANZCERTA) and the trans -Tasman Mututal 
Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA).  
 The migration from a loca l to an international test method promotes closer alignment with 
international standards and reduces suppliers’ compliance costs.  
8. Relevant documents:  The E3 Decision Regulation Impact Statement - Household 
Refrigerators and Freezers, (November 2017) is  available for download at: 
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/news/decision -regulation -impact -statement -household -
refrigerators -and-freezers   
The E3 report Household Refrigeration Appliances: New Star Rating Algorithm Proposal for 
the IEC Test Method (June 2015), available at: 
http://energyrating.gov.au/document/report -household -refrigeration -appliances -new-star-
rating -algorithm -proposal -iec-test  
The Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002 (the Regulations) are 
available at: http://www.legislation.govt.nz . 
Once published, Australia New Zealand Standards will be available from the Standards New 
Zealand website at: https://www.standards.govt.nz/ .  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  The proposed regulatory changes will be incorporated into 
New Zealand Regulation no earlier than 1 December 2018.  
Proposed date of entry into force:  The proposed MEPS requirements for household 
refrigerators and freezers will come into force in New Zeal and Regulation no earlier than 
January 2021. (This accommodates a two -year lead -in time negotiated with industry 
during consultation on this proposal.)  
10. Final date for comments: 23 February 2018  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [  ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority  
P.O. Box: 388  
Wellington, New Zealand  
Phone: +64 -4-470 2200  
Email: laura.christen@eeca.govt.nz  
Web: http://www.eeca.govt.nz , http://www.energyrating.gov.au   
 
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/news/decision -regulation -impact -statement -household -
refrigerators -and-freezers  
http://energyrating.gov.au/document/report -household -refrigeration -appliances -new-star-
rating -algorithm -proposal -iec-test