Quebec French Labeling Requirement
On April 4, 2012, Quebec, Canada proposed a draft regulation that would require an appliance’s labels/inscriptions to be in French if that label/inscription is “engraved, baked or inlaid . . . riveted or welded . . or embossed . . in a permanent manner.” This draft regulation only applies to 6 appliances – kitchen ranges, microwave ovens, clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, and clothes dryers. The proposed Regulation would come into force 11 months after it is published, which could occur any time. Links to a copy of the draft regulation in French and English are below.
Amendment - Regulation respecting the language of commerce and business--French
Amendment - Regulation respecting the language of commerce and business--English
This regulation, if adopted, could result in –
- Lessening consumer choice
- Increasing consumer cost
- Increasing appliance purchases outside of Quebec or on-line
AHAM recently submitted comments on this matter. Our comments can be downloaded in English or in French.
AHAM Comments--Quebec French Labeling (ENGLISH)
AHAM Comments--Quebec French Labeling (FRENCH)
If you have questions, please contact Kevin Messner at kmessner@aham.org