1.

Notifying Member: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (OEERE), Department of Energy (DOE)

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Refrigerated beverage vending machines; Automatic goods-vending machines, e.g. postage stamp, cigarette, food or beverage machines, incl. money-changing machines; parts thereof (HS code(s): 8476); Environmental protection (ICS code(s): 13.020); Commercial refrigerating appliances (ICS code(s): 97.130.20)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Refrigerated Bottled or Canned Beverage Vending Machines; (60 page(s), in English)

6.

Description of content: Notice of proposed rulemaking and announcement of public meeting - The Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended (EPCA), prescribes energy conservation standards for various consumer products and certain commercial and industrial equipment, including refrigerated bottled or canned beverage vending machines (BVMs). EPCA also requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to periodically determine whether more stringent standards would be technologically feasible and economically justified, and would result in significant energy savings. In this notice of proposed rulemaking (NOPR), DOE proposes amended energy conservation standards for BVMs, and also announces a public meeting to receive comment on these proposed standards and associated analyses and results.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection; Protection of the environment

8.

Relevant documents: 88 Federal Register (FR) 33968, 25 May 2023; Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 431:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-05-25/html/2023-09968.htm

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-05-25/pdf/2023-09968.pdf

DOE will hold a public meeting via webinar on Wednesday, 7 June 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. See section VII, "Public Participation," for webinar registration information, participant instructions, and information about the capabilities available to webinar participants.

This notice of proposed rulemaking; announcement of public meeting, the notification of availability of preliminary technical support document; request for comment notified as G/TBT/N/USA/826/Add.7 and the request for information notified as G/TBT/N/USA/826/Add.6 are identified by docket number EERE-2020-BT-STD-0014. The docket folder is available on Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2020-BT-STD-0014/document, and provides access to primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from Regulations.gov by searching the docket number. WTO Members and their stakeholders are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point by or before 4pm Eastern Time on 24 July 2023. Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO Members and their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will also be submitted to the Docket on Regulations.gov if received within the comment period.

Previous actions notified under the symbol G/TBT/N/USA/826 are identified by docket number EERE-2013-BT-STD-0022. The Docket Folder is available from Regulations.gov at https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE-2013-BT-STD-0022/document and provides access to primary and supporting documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from Regulations.gov by searching the Docket Number.

9.

Proposed date of adoption: To be determined

Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined

10.

Final date for comments: 24 July 2023

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone or fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/USA/23_09833_00_e.pdf