The circular No. 36/2016/TT-BCT (the Circular No.36) replacing the Circular No. 07/2012/TT-BCT dated on April 4th 2012 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade providing energy labeling for means and equipment using energy (hereafter referred to as the Circular No. 07) is amended as follows: 

- Changing the method of certification for means and equipment making it easier for enterprises to carry out energy labeling procedures: Enterprises are allowed to release energy efficiency and implement energy labeling for means and equipment they've produced by themselves or imported; enterprises shall be responsible for the quality of energy star-labeled products;

- Allowing enterprises to use energy efficiency testing results once for each model of products (domestic products or imported products whose model, manufacturer, technical characteristics are the same) without limiting validity time of the energy efficiency testing  sheet; 

- Allowing the energy labeling testing to be conducted by independent test organizations or laboratories of domestic/foreign manufacturers; 

- Abrogating chapter II of the Circular No.07 providing conditions, procedures for appointing test organization and recognizing testing results of test organizations meanwhile clause 1 and clause 2 of Article 4 of the Circular No.36 specifies that: 

"1. Energy labeling test organizations are independent test organizations or laboratories of domestic/foreign manufacturers meeting the following conditions: 

a) Domestic test organization is test organization meeting conditions prescribed in Article 5 of the Decree No. 107/2016/NĐ-CP dated on July 1st 2016 of the Government stipulating conditions for provision of conformity assessment services; 

b) Foreign test organization is test organization recognized in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025 (or equivalent) by recognition organizations signing Mutual Recognition Agreements (ILAC or APLAC). 

2. Energy efficiency testing and evaluation are based on Vietnam Standards or provisions of the Ministry of Industry and Trade". 

 Mr. Trinh Quoc Vu, Director of the Department of Science Technology and Energy Efficiency, General Directorate of Energy, Ministry of Industry and Trade emphasizes that after the effective date of the Circular No.36 (February 10th 2017), state management agencies shall strengthen the post-checking management after enterprises carry out energy labeling for products and bring them to the market. 

Ngoc Diep