The Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Agreement (TTMRA)

The TTMRA is a cooperation and trading agreement between Australia and New Zealand.

The agreement allows goods imported into one country to legally be sold in the other without meeting the other country’s requirements. It opens up trade between Australia and New Zealand and reduces compliance costs. 

Read the legislation(external link)

Applying the TTMRA to regulated products

To meet requirements, any regulated product being imported and sold in New Zealand must:

  • be manufactured in or imported through an Australian jurisdiction, and
  • meet all legal requirements to be sold in Australia.

The TTMRA doesn’t apply if a model is sold in both Australia and New Zealand, but is imported directly into New Zealand (not via Australia).

New Zealand and Australia have many of the same Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and Mandatory Energy Performance Labeling (MEPL) requirements, but there are parts where the countries differ.

 Requirements in Australia(external link)

Free Trade Agreements

New Zealand-European Union Free Trade Agreement (NZ-EU FTA)

On 1 July 2022, New Zealand and the European Union announced that they concluded negotiations on a free trade agreement. This agreement removes duties for the majority of goods exported and imported between New Zealand and the European Union (EU). It creates new opportunities, cuts costs through more favourable access to the EU market and increases two-way goods and services trade.

New Zealand-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (NZ-UK FTA)

New Zealand's free trade agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom enters into force on 31 May 2023. The FTA provides New Zealand with preferential access to the UK consumer market and means that the vast majority of customs duties will be removed from New Zealand exports with most of the current goods trade to the UK duty free immediately.

NZ Regulated Products

While the FTAs have resulted in changes to product tariffs, there are no changes to the obligations importers of regulated products into New Zealand must meet under the Energy Efficiency (Energy Using Products) Regulations 2002. The Regulations cover appliances and other products for home, commercial, and industrial use and include assemblies that incorporate a regulated product.

See the list of regulated products

EU Energy Label

Certain goods in the EU including lighting, fridges, TVs, dishwashers, dryers, washing machines and air-conditioners are required to display the EU Energy Label. The EU Energy Label provides an indication of the energy efficiency and other key features of a product at point of purchase.

Read about the EU Energy Label(external link)

UK Energy Label

The UK left the EU at the end of 2020. While largely carrying over the EU Energy Label requirements, products placed on the UK market from 1 January 2021 have some differing requirements to that of the EU Energy Label including that they must only contain English language text and bear a UK flag rather than the EU flag. For products from the UK placed on the market in the EU, companies must comply with the EU labelling requirements.

Read about the UK Energy Label(external link)

Labelling compliance in NZ

The EU and UK Energy Labels do not conform to the New Zealand MEPL requirements and cannot be substituted for the New Zealand Energy Rating Label (ERL). Any relevant EU or UK products exported to New Zealand must only display the New Zealand ERL – where attached or included, the EU or UK Energy Label should be removed.

Read about the NZ Energy Rating Label(external link)

NZ Requirements

To legally sell, hire, lease, or provide hire purchase of regulated products in New Zealand, manufacturers and/or importers must ensure that the New Zealand MEPS and MEPL requirements are met. For products subject to MEPL requirements, a New Zealand ERL must be supplied with each product imported. The ERL must be attached to all products displayed and offered for sale.

Read about the NZ-EU Free Trade Agreement(external link)

Read about the NZ-UK Free Trade Agreement(external link)