WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION   
G/TBT/N/NZL/56 
8 August 2011  
 (11-3985) 
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 Economic Development 
P.O. Box:  1473 
Wellington, New Zealand 
Phone:  +64-4-474 2865 Fax:  +64-4-473 7010 E-mail:  caroline.ryder@med.govt.nz  
Web:  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 E-mail:  laura.christen@eeca.govt.nz  or carolyn.shivanandan@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):  HS 8415. ICS 23.120 
Air Conditioners.  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   
Draft joint Australian/New Zealand Standard  DR3823.2 (Committee EL- 015) Performance of 
electrical appliances - Air c onditioners and heat pumps Part 2: Energy labelling and minimum 
energy performance standards (MEPS) requirements (Revision of AS/NZS 3823.2:2009) (91 
pages in English). 
Until 1 August 2011 the public comment draft of the revised Standard can be viewed on the 
Standards New Zealand website at:   G/TBT/N/NZL/56 
Page 2  
 
  "http://www.standards.co.nz/web-
shop/?action=viewDr aft&mod=drafts&draftId=DR3823. 2&searchId=1002846&searchOrderi
ngIndex=1&searchSessionId= 514B1EF8F397284F4ED89BCC563DD0F2 " 
After 1 August 2011 the public comment draft of  the revised Standard can be obtained from 
the New Zealand TBT Enquiry Point.  
6. Description of content:  This is a draft revision of Join t Australia/New Zealand Standard 
AS/NZS 3823.2:2009.  The existing Standard, including Amendment 1, was published with 
the approval of the combined state and territo ry regulatory authorities of Australia and 
New Zealand and is structured to be suitable  for reference in legi slation calling up minimum 
energy performance standards (MEPS) and also for reference in energy labelling regulatory 
legislation.  
This draft revision to the Standard includes: (i) Introduction of more stringent cooling and heating MEPS levels for air-cooled air 
conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps. 
(ii) Introduction of cooling and heating MEPS le vels for multi-split system air-cooled air 
conditioners and air-to-air heat pumps within the scope of Part 1.4. 
(iii) A restriction on the use of simulation to those products  with a rated capacity of 
30 kW or greater for MEPS.  
New Zealand has not yet consulted on the pol icy case for revising MEPS levels for air 
conditioners in New Zealand Regulation, but the Government of New Zealand intends to 
incorporate the revisions to this standard in to New Zealand's Energy Efficiency (Energy 
Using Products) Regulations 2002 at a time to be determ ined, and after it has been 
incorporated into Australian regulations.  
Comments received in re lation to this Notification will be considered alongside the outcomes 
of consultation with local industry and be fore final recommendations are put to the 
New Zealand Cabinet for decision. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:   
1) Alignment of standards and regulation w ith New Zealand's major trading partner, 
Australia, to honour commitments under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition 
Arrangement and Closer Ec onomic Relations agreement.  
2)  Ensuring improvements in product te chnologies available on the New Zealand 
market, which will lead to increased pro ductivity growth and lower energy costs;  
3)  Ensuring that consumers are better inform ed about energy-using products so that they 
can make informed choices that reduce their overall energy costs;  
4)  Contributing to the government's proposed energy efficiency target of 55 petajoules 
(PJ) of saving across the economy by 2015,  as targeted in the draft New Zealand 
Energy Efficiency and Conserva tion Strategy published in 2010;  
5)  Contributing to a target for a 50 % reduction in New Zealand greenhouse gas 
emissions from 1990 levels by 2050.   G/TBT/N/NZL/56 
 Page 3 
 
 
  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 Standard.  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, bene fits and costs for the Australian market  is 
available at:  
http://www.energyrating.gov.au/libra ry/details201004-consu lt-ris-ac-2011.html  
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
    
Proposed date of entry into force:    The Standard will be jointly published in 
Australia and New Zealand on a date to be determined.  Publication will occur before the Standard is due to come into force under Australian Regulation on 1 October 2011 (with 
some exemptions until 1 April 2012). 
 
The Standard will come into force in New Zealand Regulation on a date to be determined.  Public consultation will be undertaken before 
the Standard is incorporated into New Zealand 
Regulation.  
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 Boxes 5 and 8.