Consumers in the Republic of Moldova will have access to clearer information about the energy consumption and efficiency of certain household appliances and refrigeration equipment before purchasing them. The draft amendments to the energy labelling rules introduce new requirements for household tumble dryers and direct-sale refrigeration appliances and align the national framework with European Union rules.

The Ministry of Energy has finalized the draft amendments to the Government Decision on energy labelling requirements. Under the new provisions, the products concerned will be accompanied by an energy label and a product information sheet, enabling consumers to assess the energy-related characteristics of the equipment before purchase.

The energy label will indicate the energy efficiency class and other relevant parameters, while suppliers will be required to make the information available electronically as well. In the case of online sales, the energy label and product information sheet will have to be presented to consumers before the purchase is made. Advertising and promotional materials for the products concerned will also be required to include information on the energy efficiency class and the range of available classes.

At the point of sale, the energy label will have to be displayed in a way that is clearly visible to consumers. The same requirements will apply to the distance selling of products.

The need to update the regulatory framework is also driven by the level of use of energy efficiency information when making purchasing decisions. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, approximately 51.4% of households in the Republic of Moldova are familiar with the concept of an energy efficiency class and the main characteristics of a product, while around 45.1% rely on the energy label when purchasing an energy-related product. At the same time, only 13.3% of households consider energy performance a decisive factor in the purchasing process.

The Regulation on energy labelling of household tumble dryers will apply to both electrically powered and gas-powered appliances. It will establish requirements for the energy label and the additional information that must be provided to consumers.

Within 12 months of the entry into force of the new provisions, at least 70% of the products concerned placed on the market of the Republic of Moldova are expected to be marketed with an energy label and product information sheet in compliance with legal requirements. Within 18 months, the share of energy-efficient products among the products concerned is expected to increase by at least 20% compared with the baseline level. At the same time, within 24 months, the aim is to reduce by at least 10% the share of non-compliant products identified during state inspections for the categories concerned.

The measures are particularly relevant given the significant share of the residential sector in energy consumption. According to the 2024 Energy Balance, the residential sector accounts for approximately 42% of the Republic of Moldova’s final energy consumption.

To date, energy labelling in the Republic of Moldova applies to several categories of energy-related products, including refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers, light sources and electronic displays.

Energy labels use an A-to-G classification scale, where class A indicates the highest energy efficiency and class G the lowest. The labels provide information on energy or other resource consumption and, depending on the product category, other relevant characteristics. Additional information can be accessed through a QR code included on the label.

The draft was developed with the support of UNDP and the Government of Denmark.