Project Summary

The purpose of this proposal is to continue and build on both previous and ongoing work in APEC to reduce barriers to trade created by the existence of many different energy performance test methods and energy performance requirements for compact fluorescent lamps across the 21 APEC economies.

Relevance

The purpose of this proposal is to continue and build on both previous and ongoing work in APEC to reduce barriers to trade created by the existence of many different energy performance test methods and energy performance requirements for compact fluorescent lamps across the 21 APEC economies.

The proposal provides a response to the Osaka Action Agenda Section. An item 5 in Section C (Action in Specific Area) states that “APEC economies will, in accordance with the Declaration on APEC Standards and Conformance Framework and with the Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT Agreement) and the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS Agreement) attached to the WTO Agreement: .. (c.) promote good regulatory practice for the preparation, adoption and application of technical regulations in the APEC region; … (f.) ensure the transparency of the standards and conformity assessment of APEC economies.”

This proposal responds directly to the action agenda of the Energy Working Group (EWG). Specifically it addresses the action item ‘Acceptance of Equivalence in Accreditation and Increasing Harmonization of Energy Standards’.

This proposal responds to the EWG’s future directions strategic plan in that facilitating energy efficiency and conservation is one of important strategic themes.

This proposal also provides a response to the Energy Ministers’ initiative “to endorse the Energy Standards and Labelling Co-operation Initiative as a timely and effective policy instruments” endorsed in Mexico City; as well as the Energy Minister’s broad call for harmonization of energy standards, and specific call for development of a Standards Notifications Procedure.

Objective

• The primary objective is to work with governments in APEC to exchange information and develop support for harmonizing a set of standards for testing, quality, minimum efficiency, and labeling schemes of compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). Through an APEC-wide survey, the project team will determine the reasons for these differences; whether they act as impediments to trade; and make suggestions for possible harmonization.
• A related objective is to promote harmonized technical standards by using the Efficient Lighting Initiative (ELI) labeling programme as a pilot tool for concrete cooperation among APEC economies.