Importer's Corner

 

Temporary Instructions for Reporting NRCan 5 Data Elements

Amendment 11 to Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations was published in Canada Gazette Part II on October 12, 2011. This amendment comes into force on April 12, 2012. As part of the Regulations, importers have an obligation to report import information on energy-using products they import into Canada. HS codes for those products under Amendment 11 have been submitted to the CBSA but regrettably will not be in the ACROSS system for April 12, 2012. For the time being, NRCan is providing temporary instructions to facilitate the reporting of import data until the ACROSS system is fully functional.

Background

Amendment 11 will expand the scope of some products such as electric motors, dry-type transformers and large air conditioners. Amendment 11 will introduce new minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) and associated reporting and compliance requirements for five new products:

  • standby for electronic products (compact audio products, television (TV) and TV combination units, video products);
  • external power supplies;
  • digital TV adaptors;
  • electric boilers;
  • single package vertical air-conditioners and heat pumps.

Dealers (manufacturers, importers, retailers) who are importing regulated energy-using products into Canada must submit, to the CBSA, the following five data elements:

  • name of product;
  • model number;
  • brand name, if any;
  • address of the dealer who is importing the product; and
  • purpose of the importation (for sale or lease in Canada without modification, for sale or lease after being modified to comply, or for use as a component in any other product to be exported from Canada).

Issue

A list of HS codes for newly-regulated products under the Amendment 11 was only provided to the CBSA early in April 2012. Effective date to submit required data elements to the CBSA using ACROSS service options 463 and 471 to obtain release of newly-regulated energy-using products will be announced after the list of HS codes is available. Until the ACROSS is functional for newly-regulated products, importers and customs brokers should follow instructions below.

Instructions

The reporting requirements of Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations are a legal obligation of dealers and importers. When importing newly regulated products, dealers and importers are asked to report the required five data elements to NRCan using the following e-mail address: importation@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca with the subject line "NRCan 5 Data Elements". NRCan will continue to work with dealers and importers to provide clarity on how to clear their shipments and meet their legal obligations during this period.

Reminder to dealers: NRCan expects dealers of the newly-regulated products under Amendment 11 to comply with the minimum energy performance standard and reporting requirements starting April 12, 2012, when Amendment 11 comes into force. As well, NRCan will monitor import data to ensure that imported regulated energy using products are in compliance with the Energy Efficiency Regulations.

NRCan regrets the additional effort this entails and will be working with CBSA to return the system to its full functionality as soon as possible. For more information on Canada's Energy Efficiency Regulations visit www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/regulations/11239 or contact us at Importation@nrcan.gc.ca.