Four groups of equipment and vehicles must have energy labels, according to a recent decision by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

They include home appliances, office and commercial appliances, industrial appliances and transport vehicles.

Energy labels are compulsory for strait tube fluorescent lamps, compact tube fluorescent lamps, electromagnetic and electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps, air-conditioners, rice cookers, electric fans, refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, three-phase distribution transfomers and electric motors.  They are mandatory from January 1, 2020 for LED lighting products and hot water storage tanks.

Regarding office appliances, energy labels must be on commercial refrigerators. Photocopiers, computer desktops and printers will receive energy rating labels on a voluntary basis. Laptops must have the stickers from January 1, 2020.

Seven-seater cars and smaller ones are required to carry energy rating labels. Meanwhile, labeling for those with more than seven seaters to nine seaters will be voluntary until December 31, 2017 and for motorcycles until December 31, 2019.

Energy labels are required on those cars from January 1, 2018 and motorcycles from January 1,2020.

According to a 2011 Government Decree, most energy-consuming products are required to carry energy rating labels before being sold on the market. These labels provide consumers with information about power consumption and the products’ energy efficiency.

Vietnam is following in the footstep of other countries like the US, EU nations, Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, India and Thailand, where energy labeling has been successful.

VNA