G/TBT/N/USA/2083  
4 January 2024  
(24-0039) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [2114]  
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 indicate d if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  ], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [X], 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):  Satellite 
and earth station applications ; Quality (ICS code(s): 03.120); Satellite (ICS code(s): 
33.070.40); Space systems and operations (ICS code(s): 49.140)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Expediting 
Initial Processing of Satellite and Earth Station Applications; (9 page(s), in English)  
6. Descrip tion of content:  Proposed rule - In this document, the Federal Communications 
Commission (Commission) continues its long -standing practice of reviewing its licensing 
rules and practices in light of innovation and development in the satellite industry and 
seeks further comment on possible further streamlining and expediting of its rules. 
Proposals include: elimination of the procedural requirement to print and maintain a paper 
copy of a license; changing the default status of space and earth station proceedi ngs to 
permit -but-disclose; allowing earth station operators to apply for and receive a limited 
license without an identified satellite point of communication. The Commission also seeks 
comment on: additional minor modifications to be made by operators wit hout prior 
authorization from the Commission; whether to provide a process for market access 
petitioners to seek the equivalent of a special temporary authorization (STA); whether to 
expand the window for operators to file renewal applications for existing  licenses; further 
streamlining some of its coordination requirements for earth and space station operators; 
expanding the conditions under which earth station operators could access the new, 
streamlined "deemed -granted" process for adding points of commun ications; timeframes 
for taking action on license applications; allowing operators to file STA extensions 
concurrently with an STA application; and on the creation of a permitted list that would 
include NGSO operators.  
7. Objective and rationale, includin g the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Quality requirements; Cost saving and productivity enhancement  G/TBT/N/USA/2083  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
88 Federal Register (FR) 85553, 8 December 2023; Title 47  Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Parts 1 and 25: 
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-12-08/html/2023 -26700.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-12-08/pdf/2023 -26700.pdf  
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC -23-73A1.pdf  
The full text of the proposed rule is available at https://www.fcc.gov/edocs/search -
results?t=quick&fccdaNo=23 -73. This proposed rule is identified by IB Docket Nos. 22 -
411, 22 -271 and FCC 23 -73. For detailed instructions for submitting comments and 
additional information on the rulemaking process, see document FCC 23 -73 at 
https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC -23-73A1.pdf . Documents are also 
accessible from the FCC's Electronic Document Management System (EDOCS)  by 
searching the IB Docket Numbers. Comments are due on or before 8 January 2024; reply 
comments are due on or before 6 February 2024. WTO Members and their stakeholders 
are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or before 4pm Eastern 
Time on 6 February 2024. Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO 
Members and their stakeholders will be shared with FCC and will also be submitted to the 
FCC Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS)  if received within the comment period.  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  6 February 2024  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/TBT/USA/24_00039_00_e.pdf