China Resource Conservation Certification is one of the voluntary certification services provided by CQC, which indicates that the products meet relevant energy conservation and water conservation certification requirements by applying the “conservation” mark. The certification scope covers the energy conservation certification of electrical appliances, office equipment, lighting, electromechanical, power transmission and transformation equipment, buildings and other products, as well as water conservation certification of industrial water treatment, urban water use, agricultural irrigation and drainage, non-traditional water resources utilization, etc. It aims to promote consumers’ active consumption of energy conservation products, guide and encourage the promotion of energy conservation products and the progress of technological level by carrying out resource conservation certification. The production of resource conservation products by enterprises has been actively taken by the Chinese government as a development direction, and the development and production of resource conservation products are promoted through tax reduction, incentives and government procurement mechanisms.

Energy conservation certification certificates issued by CQC has been stipulated as one of the most basic conditions for access to national government procurement projects, which has greatly driven China’s transition to a resource conservation society forward.

Government Procurement of Energy Conservation Products

On December 17, 2004, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) issued the Opinions on the Implementation of Government Procurement of Energy Conservation Products (Cai Ku [2004] No.185), requiring state organs, public institutions and organizations at all levels to give priority to the procurement of energy conservation products and phase out products with low energy efficiency when purchasing with financial funds. The MOF and NDRC, taking into account the progress of government procurement and the maturity of energy conservation products, technologies and markets, determine the scope of government procurement by category from energy conservation products certified by the state-recognized certification bodies, and publish it in the form of “Government Procurement List of Energy Conservation Products.”

On July 30, 2007, the General Office of the State Council issued the Notice on Establishing the System of Compulsory Government Procurement of Energy Conservation Products (Guo Bab Fa [2007] No.51), requiring that products with remarkable energy conservation effect and mature performance shall be selected for compulsory procurement, on the basis of actively promoting the prioritized procurement of energy conservation (including water conservation) products by government agencies.

On December 5, 2007, in the latest fourth batch of Government Procurement List of Energy Conservation Products, China implemented compulsory procurement of 9 categories of energy conservation products, including air conditioners, double-capped fluorescent lamps and self-ballasted fluorescent lamps, TV sets, electric water heaters, computers, printers, monitors, toilets and water nozzles.