Devising the new circular, the MoIT has shifted to a new certification method, facilitating businesses in energy efficiency labeling (“energy labeling” for short). Accordingly, the ministry lets businesses self-declare their energy efficiency and applied energy labeling to their products. They are responsible for their declaration and labeling. The circle also allows businesses to apply one-time-for-all energy efficiency pilot results to all products of the same models produced domestically or imported from the same manufacturers or of the same origins with the same technical characteristics.
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The circular also allows the experiment of energy labeling to be conducted by independent organizations or laboratories of domestic and overseas manufacturers, which are not required to register for recognition with the MoIT. Businesses registering for energy labeling of imported goods are only required to submit documents proving their laboratories meet set criteria, with attached energy labeling registration documents to the MoIT.
Circular 36/2016/TT-BCT also allows businesses to register energy labeling online or send documents by post to the MoIT.
In early 2012, the MoIT issued Circular 07, regulating that energy labeling is compulsory, leading to the rapidly-increasing number of companies and products that need labeling. The number of labeling codes sharply increased from 665 in 2012 to 2,655 in 2014. The seven most-labeled and stamped imported goods are air-conditioners, refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, electric fans, rice-cookers and light bulbs.
Though having helped consumers easily identify energy-saving products, contributing to reducing national energy consumption, Circular 07 has erected hurdles to businesses due to cumbersome and time-consuming procedures, high cost.
