Energy Conservation Amendment Bill 2026

Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill

Bill No. 6/2026.

Read the first time on 6 March 2026.

A BILL

intituled

An Act to amend the Energy Conservation Act 2012. Be it enacted by the President with the advice and consent of the Parliament of Singapore, as follows:

Short title and commencement

1. This Act is the Energy Conservation (Amendment) Act 2026 and comes into operation on a date that the Minister appoints by notification in the Gazette.

Amendment of section 105

1. In the Energy Conservation Act 2012 (called in this Act the principal Act), in section 10 — (a) in the definition of “effective date”, after “date on which the goods become regulated goods”, insert “for the purposes of a provision in this Part,”;10 (b) in the definitions of “effective date” and “regulated goods”, replace “section 11” with “section 11(1)”; and (c) after the definition of “goods”, insert — “ “import” means to bring or cause to be brought into Singapore by land, water or air from any place15 which is outside Singapore, but does not include the bringing into Singapore by water or air of any substance, plant, equipment, machinery or any product which is to be taken out of Singapore on the same vessel or aircraft on which they were20 brought into Singapore without any landing or transhipment within Singapore;”.

Amendment of Subdivision (2) heading to Division 1 of Part 3

1. In the principal Act, in Part 3, in Division 1, in Subdivision (2), in the Subdivision heading, after “supplies”, insert “and imports”.25

Amendment of section 11

1. In the principal Act, in section 11 — (a) renumber the section as subsection (1) of that section; and (b) after subsection (1), insert — “(2) Without limiting subsection (1), a class,30 description or type of goods may be prescribed

under that subsection to be regulated goods only under prescribed circumstances, and different circumstances may be prescribed for the same class, description or type of goods for different provisions of this Part. 5 (3) Different classes, descriptions or types of goods may be prescribed under subsection (1) to be regulated goods for different provisions of this Part.”.

Amendment of section 12

1. In the principal Act, in section 12 — 10 (a) replace the section heading with — “Restrictions on supply and import of regulated

goods”;

(b) replace subsection (1) with — “(1) Subject to this section, a person must not — 15 (a) make a prohibited supply of regulated goods in Singapore (whether the goods were imported into Singapore or manufactured in Singapore by the person or another person); or 20 (b) make a prohibited import of regulated goods.”; (c) in subsections (3), (5) and (6), replace “subsection (1)” with “subsection (1)(a)”; (d) after subsection (3), insert — 25 “(3A) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b), a prohibited import of regulated goods is an import of regulated goods where — (a) the goods do not comply, on or after the effective date for those goods, with any one 30 or more of the requirements mentioned in subsection (4) which is prescribed as being

applicable to those regulated goods and not waived under section 31B(1); and (b) the goods are imported by the person for the person’s own use.”; and (e) in subsection (4), replace “The following are the5 requirements for the purpose of subsection (3):” with “For the purposes of subsections (3) and (3A), the requirements that may be prescribed as applicable to any regulated goods are as follows:”.

Amendment of section 12A10

1. In the principal Act, in section 12A(1) — (a) replace “an importer or a manufacturer” with “a person that imports or manufactures any goods that are regulated goods (called in this Part an importer and a manufacturer, respectively)”; and15 (b) replace “any regulated goods” with “those regulated goods”.

Amendment of section 13

1. In the principal Act, in section 13 — (a) replace subsection (1) with —20 “(1) Any importer or manufacturer that wishes to be registered as a registered supplier for the purposes of section 12A(1) must apply to the Director‑General to be registered as such. (1A) Any importer or manufacturer that wishes to25 register any regulated goods that are required to be registered under section 12 must apply to the Director‑General for such registration for the purposes of supply or own use, or both, as the case may be.30

(1B) For the purpose of subsection (1A) — (a) if an importer or a manufacturer intends to supply in Singapore, or if an importer intends to import into Singapore for the importer’s own use, any goods that are 5 regulated goods required to be registered under section 12, the importer or manufacturer must register such regulated goods for the purposes of supply or own use, or both (as the case may be), even if 10 another importer or manufacturer has already so registered such regulated goods; and (b) if the firstmentioned importer or manufacturer mentioned in paragraph (a) 15 fails to so register such regulated goods, then the regulated goods are not regarded as registered in relation to the firstmentioned importer or manufacturer, despite the registration by the 20 second‑mentioned importer or manufacturer.”; (b) in subsection (2)(b), replace “as registered goods” with “or import into Singapore for the applicant’s own use, as registered goods for the purposes of supply or own use, or 25 both, as the case may be”; and (c) after subsection (2), insert — “(2A) The Director‑General may, at any time after the registration of any registered supplier or of any registered goods, impose any condition on, or modify 30 or revoke any condition imposed on, the registration. (2B) The Director‑General must, before imposing or modifying any condition under subsection (2A), give written notice to the holder of the registration —

(a) stating the proposed condition or modification, as the case may be; and (b) specifying the time within which the holder of the registration may make written representations to the Director‑General5 with respect to the proposed condition or modification. (2C) Where the holder of the registration makes any written representations under subsection (2B)(b), the Director‑General must consider the written10 representations, and the Director‑General’s decision must be given to the holder of the registration in writing.”.

Amendment of section 15

1. In the principal Act, in section 15, after subsection (4), insert —15 “(5) The Director‑General may, at any time after renewing the registration of any registered goods, impose any condition on, or modify or revoke any condition imposed on, the renewal of registration. (6) The Director‑General must, before imposing or modifying20 any condition under subsection (5), give written notice to the holder of the registration — (a) stating the proposed condition or modification, as the case may be; and (b) specifying the time within which the holder of the25 registration may make written representations to the Director‑General with respect to the proposed condition or modification. (7) Where the holder of the registration makes any written representations under subsection (6)(b), the Director‑General30 must consider the written representations, and the Director‑General’s decision must be given to the holder of the registration in writing.”.

Amendment of section 16

1. In the principal Act, in section 16 — (a) in subsection (1), replace paragraph (b) with — “(b) of any registered goods obtained by a registered supplier or an importer that 5 imports such registered goods for the importer’s own use, where the registered supplier or importer applies to the Director‑General to withdraw the registration.”; 10 (b) in subsection (3), replace “after giving notice to the registered supplier supplying those goods” with “obtained by a registered supplier or an importer that imports such registered goods for the importer’s own use, after giving notice to the registered supplier or importer,”; 15 (c) in subsection (3)(a), replace “the registered goods” with “any of the registered goods supplied by the registered supplier or imported by the importer”; (d) in subsection (3)(a), after “furnished by the registered supplier”, insert “or importer”; 20 (e) in subsection (3), replace paragraph (b) with — “(b) that any of the registered goods supplied by the registered supplier or imported by the importer do not meet any requirement under section 12(4) applicable to the 25 registered goods and not waived under section 31B(1) for the registered goods;”; (f) in subsection (3)(d), (e) and (f), after “the registered supplier”, insert “or importer”; and (g) in subsection (4), after “the registered supplier”, insert “or 30 importer (as the case may be)”.

Amendment of section 17

1. In the principal Act, in section 17 — (a) in subsection (1)(c), delete “or” at the end; (b) in subsection (1), after paragraph (c), insert — “(ca) to impose or modify any condition on the5 importer’s or manufacturer’s registration as a registered supplier, or the registration of any registered goods, under section 13(2A) or the renewal of the registration of any registered goods under section 15(5); or”;10 and (c) in subsection (4), after paragraph (a), insert — “(aa) any condition imposed or modified by the Director‑General under section 13(2A) or 15(5);”.15

Amendment of section 18

1. In the principal Act, in section 18 — (a) in subsection (1), after “A registered supplier”, insert “, and an importer that imports regulated goods for the importer’s own use,”; and20 (b) in subsections (2) and (3), after “registered supplier”, insert “or importer”.

Amendment of section 19

1. In the principal Act, in section 19(1) — (a) replace “carrying” with “that carries”;25 (b) after “any regulated goods”, insert “, or that imports regulated goods for the person’s own use”; and (c) in paragraph (b), replace “or the supply of those regulated goods” with “, or the supply or import (as the case may be) of those regulated goods”.30

Amendment of section 20

1. In the principal Act, in section 20(a), after “section 13(1)”, insert “or (1A)”.

Amendment of section 31B

1. In the principal Act, in section 31B(1), after “intends to supply”, 5 insert “or import for the person’s own use (as the case may be)”.

Amendment of section 68

1. In the principal Act, in section 68 — (a) in subsection (1)(a)(iv), delete “or” at the end; (b) in subsection (1)(a)(v), insert “or” at the end; 10 (c) in subsection (1)(a), after sub‑paragraph (v), insert — “(vi) by sending it by email to the individual’s last email address;”; (d) in subsection (1)(b)(ii), delete “or” at the end; (e) in subsection (1)(b)(iii), replace “and” at the end with “or”; 15 (f) in subsection (1)(b), after sub‑paragraph (iii), insert — “(iv) by sending it by email to the partnership’s last email address; and”; (g) in subsection (1)(c)(ii), delete “or” at the end; 20 (h) in subsection (1)(c)(iii), replace the full‑stop at the end with “; or”; (i) in subsection (1)(c), after sub‑paragraph (iii), insert — “(iv) by sending it by email to the last email address of the body 25 corporate.”; (j) in subsection (2)(a), delete “and” at the end; (k) in subsection (2)(b), replace the full‑stop at the end with “; and”;

(l) in subsection (2), after paragraph (b), insert — “(c) sent by email, it is deemed to have been duly served on the person to whom it is addressed at the time that the email becomes capable of being retrieved by5 the person to whom it is sent.”; (m) after subsection (2), insert — “(2A) However, service of any notice or document under this Act on a person by email may be effected only with the person’s prior written consent to service10 in that way.”; and (n) replace subsection (5) with — “(5) In this section — “body corporate” includes a limited liability partnership;15 “last email address” means the last email address given by the addressee concerned to the person serving the notice or document as the email address for the service of notices or documents under this Act.”.20

Amendment of section 78

1. In the principal Act, in section 78(2), after paragraph (a), insert — “(aa) the regulation of any advertisement of regulated goods (whether or not originating in Singapore)25 accessible by a person physically present in Singapore (called in this paragraph a person in Singapore), including — (i) any information relating to the energy efficiency of the goods that must be contained30 in any such advertisement; (ii) the prohibition of any advertisement with respect to which any prescribed requirement is

not complied with (called in this paragraph a non‑compliant advertisement); and (iii) requirements in relation to the prevention of publication, rectification or withdrawal of any non‑compliant advertisement (including the 5 removal of any non‑compliant advertisement or the disabling of access by a person in Singapore to any non‑compliant advertisement, if published on the Internet) and the person in Singapore or person with a 10 business establishment in Singapore that must comply with such requirements; (ab) the circumstances in which a person — (i) that imports or manufactures regulated goods for supply in Singapore, and subsequently uses 15 or permits another person to use those regulated goods for a purpose other than for such supply; or (ii) that imports goods for the person’s own use, and subsequently — 20 (A) uses those goods in circumstances where the import would (if it had been for or under those circumstances) have been a prohibited import of regulated goods under section 12(1)(b); or 25 (B) permits another person to use those goods in prescribed circumstances, (ab) commits an offence;”.

Saving and transitional provisions 17.—(1) To avoid doubt —

(a) any person that, immediately before the date section 7 of this Act comes into operation (called in this section the commencement date), is a registered supplier under5 section 13(2)(a) of the principal Act as in force immediately before that date, is a registered supplier under section 13(2)(a) of the principal Act as in force on that date, but only to the extent of the firstmentioned registration; and10 (b) any regulated goods that, immediately before the commencement date, are registered goods under section 13(2)(b) of the principal Act as in force immediately before that date, are registered goods but only for the purposes of supply under section 13(2)(b) of15 the principal Act as in force on that date (if the goods are required to be registered under section 12 of the principal Act as in force on that date), and to the extent of the firstmentioned registration. (2) Any application for registration under section 13(1)(a) of the20 principal Act as in force immediately before the commencement date and pending immediately before that date, is an application for registration as a registered supplier under section 13(1) of the principal Act as in force on that date. (3) Any application for registration under section 13(1)(b) of the25 principal Act as in force immediately before the commencement date and pending immediately before that date, is an application to register regulated goods but only for the purposes of supply under section 13(1A) of the principal Act as in force on that date. (4) For a period of 2 years after the date of commencement of any30 provision of this Act, the Minister may, by regulations, prescribe such additional provisions of a saving or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of that provision as the Minister may consider necessary or expedient.

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

This Bill seeks to amend the Energy Conservation Act 2012. Clause 1 relates to the short title and commencement. Clause 2 amends section 10 to amend the definitions of “effective date” and “regulated goods” and to insert a new definition of “import”. In particular, the definition of “effective date” will be amended to clarify that it refers to the date that goods are prescribed as regulated goods for the purposes of a provision in Part 3 of the Act. Clause 3 makes a consequential amendment to the heading of Subdivision (2) (Restrictions on supplies of regulated goods through registration, energy labelling, minimum performance standards, etc.) of Division 1 (Measures for goods) of Part 3 (Energy conservation measures for domestic and industry sectors (other than transport)) of the Act in light of the amendments to regulate the import of regulated goods for a person’s own use. Clause 4 amends section 11 to empower the Minister to prescribe goods of any class, description or type as regulated goods for the purposes of Part 3 of the Act only in prescribed circumstances, and to prescribe the same class, description or type of goods as regulated goods in different circumstances for different provisions of that Part. Further, different classes, descriptions or types of goods may be prescribed as regulated goods for different provisions of that Part. Clause 5 amends section 12 to prohibit any import of regulated goods for a person’s own use, where the goods do not comply with any of the requirements prescribed as being applicable to such regulated goods. Clause 6 amends section 12A(1) to define an importer and a manufacturer for the purposes of Part 3 of the Act. An importer would include a person that imports regulated goods for the person’s own use. Clause 7 amends section 13 to provide for the registration of regulated goods imported by a person for the person’s own use. Clause 7 also amends section 13 to provide that the Director‑General of Environmental Protection (DG) may, at any time after registering any supplier or regulated goods, impose any condition on, or modify or revoke any condition imposed on, the registration, and the procedure for such imposition, etc. Clause 8 amends section 15 to provide that the DG may, at any time after renewing the registration of any registered goods, impose any condition on, or modify or revoke any condition imposed on, the renewal of registration, and the procedure for such imposition, etc. Clause 9 amends section 16 to provide that the registration of any registered goods obtained by a registered supplier may be withdrawn upon application by the

registered supplier. The pre‑condition that the registered supplier ceases to supply the registered goods in Singapore is deleted. The amendments also provide for the circumstances in which any registration of registered goods obtained by an importer that imports such registered goods for the importer’s own use may be withdrawn upon application by the importer, or revoked. Clause 10 amends section 17(1) to provide that any importer or manufacturer who is aggrieved by a decision of the DG to impose or modify any condition on the importer’s or manufacturer’s registration as a registered supplier or the registration of any registered goods under section 13(2A) (inserted by clause 7(c)), or the renewal of the registration of any registered goods under section 15(5) (inserted by clause 8), may appeal in writing to the Minister. The clause also amends section 17(4) to provide that despite any pending appeal, any condition so imposed or modified by the DG takes effect from the date specified by the DG in his or her decision, unless the Minister otherwise directs. Clause 11 amends section 18 to oblige an importer that imports any regulated goods for the importer’s own use, to keep and maintain complete and accurate records containing the prescribed information in accordance with the prescribed requirements, for at least the prescribed period. The importer must, among other things, submit those records to the DG as required by the DG. Clause 12 amends section 19(1) to provide that the DG may require a person that imports regulated goods for the person’s own use to provide free of charge to the DG samples of the regulated goods for the purpose of testing or analysis, and any document or information that the DG requires in respect of those regulated goods or their import. Clause 13 makes an amendment to section 20(a), consequential to the amendment to section 13 by clause 7. Clause 14 amends section 31B(1) to provide that where a person, in any particular case, is unable to comply with any requirement under section 12 for any regulated goods that the person intends to import for the person’s own use, the person may apply in writing to the DG for a waiver and the DG may, upon being satisfied that there are good reasons to do so, waive the requirement for any of those goods. Clause 15 amends section 68 to provide for service by email of any notice or document required or authorised by the Act to be served on any person. Clause 16 amends section 78(2) to empower the Minister to make regulations to regulate any advertisement of regulated goods accessible by a person physically present in Singapore (person in Singapore), whether or not the advertisement originates in Singapore.

Among other things, the Minister may prescribe — (a) requirements in relation to the prevention of publication, rectification or withdrawal of any advertisement with respect to which any prescribed requirement is not complied with (non‑compliant advertisement), including — (i) the removal of any non‑compliant advertisement; and (ii) the disabling of access by a person in Singapore to any non‑compliant advertisement, if published on the Internet; and (b) the person in Singapore or person with a business establishment in Singapore that must comply with such requirements. For example, the Minister may make regulations to provide that an operator of an electronic marketplace that has a business establishment in Singapore, must not permit any person to publish any non‑compliant advertisement on the operator’s electronic marketplace. The Minister may also make regulations to require the operator of such an electronic marketplace to take steps to procure the rectification of or to withdraw any non‑compliant advertisement published on the electronic marketplace, including by removing the non‑compliant advertisement or disabling access by a person in Singapore to the non‑compliant advertisement. Clause 16 also amends section 78(2) to empower the Minister to prescribe the circumstances in which a person — (a) that imports or manufactures regulated goods for supply in Singapore, and subsequently uses or permits another person to use those regulated goods for a purpose other than for such supply; or (b) that imports goods for the person’s own use, and subsequently — (i) uses those goods in circumstances where the import would (if it had been for or under those circumstances) have been a prohibited import of regulated goods under section 12(1)(b) as inserted by clause 5(b); or (ii) permits another person to use those goods in prescribed circumstances, commits an offence. For example, the Minister may make regulations to provide that a person who imports regulated goods for the purposes of supply in Singapore and does not subsequently supply those regulated goods but instead uses the goods for the person’s own use, commits an offence. By way of another example, suppose, for the purposes of the new section 12(1)(b) inserted by clause 5(b), certain goods are prescribed as

regulated goods under section 11(1) (as renumbered by clause 4(a)) only if they are imported by a person for use in the person’s trade or business. The Minister may make regulations to provide that a person that imports those goods for the person’s own use (not being a prohibited import of regulated goods under section 12(1)(b) (as inserted by clause 5(b)), and subsequently — (a) uses the goods in the person’s trade or business; or (b) permits another person to use the goods in prescribed circumstances, commits an offence. Clause 17 provides for saving and transitional provisions.

EXPENDITURE OF PUBLIC MONEY

This Bill will not involve the Government in any extra financial expenditure.