WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/NZL/64 
18 September 2012  
 (12-4987) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  NEW ZEALAND  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:   
Ministry of Business, Innovation and Empl oyment (formerly Ministry of Economic 
Development) 
P.O. Box:  1473 
Wellington, New Zealand Phone:  +64-4-474 2865 Fax:  +64-4-473 7010 Email:  ross.milner@med.govt.nz   
Website:  http://www. med.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 indicated if different from above :   
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority 
P.O. Box:  388 
Wellington, New Zealand 
Phone:  +64 4 495 2978 Fax:  +64 4 499 5330 Email:  laura.christen@eeca.govt.nz , or laurie.boyce@eeca.govt.nz  
Website:  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):  HS: 85.04, ICS: 29.180. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Draft Standard 
AS/NZS 60076.99:20XX Power Transformers: Minimum Energy Performance Standard 
(MEPS) requirements for distri bution and generation transformers (29 pages, in English). 
The public comment draft of this Standard wi ll be available for viewing on the Standards 
New Zealand website once it is released. A copy may also be  requested from the national 
enquiry point. The closing dates for comments st ated in the draft Standard is for domestic 
comment only, and can be ignored for the purposes of this notification. G/TBT/N/NZL/64 
Page 2  
 
  6. Description of content:  A draft Australia/ New Zealand Standard proposed for reference in 
Australian and New Zealand legislation to implement revised mini mum energy performance 
standards (MEPS) for distribution transformers.  It is intended that the revised MEPS will 
apply from 1 April 2013.   
New Zealand consulted domestically on the poli cy case for implementi ng revised MEPS early 
in 2011 (after releasing a discussion document  in December 2010).  The Government of 
New Zealand intends to incorporate these Sta ndards into New Zealand's Energy Efficiency 
(Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002.  
Comments received in re lation to this Notification will be considered alongside the outcomes 
of consultation with local industry and before  final recommendations  are put to the New 
Zealand Cabinet for decision. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:   
1) Protection of the environment, via:  
(a) Ensuring improvements in product technologies available on the New 
 Zealand market, which will lead to increased productivity growth and lower 
 energy costs; 
(b) Contributing to the New Zealand Government's energy efficiency target for 
 New Zealand to continue to achieve a rate of energy intensity improvement  of 1.3 per cent per annum, as stated in the New Zealand Energy Efficiency 
 and Conservation Strategy published in 2011; 
(c) Contributing to a target of 50% reduction in New Zealand greenhouse gas 
 emissions from 1990 levels by 2050; 
2) Alignment of standards and regulation w ith New Zealand's major trading partner, 
Australia, to honour commit ments under the trans-Ta sman Mutual Recognition 
Arrangement and Closer Econo mic Relations agreement. 
8. Relevant documents:   The relevant regulations are the Equipment Energy Efficiency 
(Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002.  Thes e regulations will be amended to incorporate 
the revised Standards.  The current version of the Regulations can be viewed on the New 
Zealand Legislation website at: 
"http://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/ public/2002/0009/latest/DLM108730.html?search
=ts_regulation_energy+effi ciency_resel&p=1&sr=1 " 
An assessment of the proposal, objectives, benefi ts and costs for the New Zealand market  is 
available at: 
"http://www.eeca.govt.nz/sites/all/file s/20101222-proposed-meps-distribution-
transformers.pdf " 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
 
 
Proposed date of entry into force:    The Standards will be jointly published in 
Australia and New Zealand on a date to be determined.  Publication will occur before the Standards are due to come into force under 
Australian and New Zealand Regulation 
1 April 2013   G/TBT/N/NZL/64 
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  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 addres ses, if available of the other body:   As shown in 
Box 8.