G/TBT/N/USA/903/Rev.1  
3 September 2021  
(21-6594) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
Revision  
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 (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Department of 
Energy  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notific ation 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 [X], 5.7.1 [   ], other :   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading.  ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Clothes 
washers; Household or laundry -type washing machines, incl. machines which both wash 
and dry; parts the reof (HS 8450); Quality (ICS 03.120), Environmental protection (ICS 
13.020), Test conditions and procedures in general (ICS 19.020), Laundry appliances (ICS 
97.060)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Energy 
Conservation Pr ogram: Test Procedures for Residential and Commercial Clothes Washers 
(88 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking, request for comment, and 
announcement of webinar - The U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") proposes to a mend 
the test procedures for residential and commercial clothes washers to specify test 
conditions, instrument specifications, and test settings; address large clothes container 
capacities; add product -specific enforcement provisions; delete obsolete provi sions; and 
consolidate all test cloth -related provisions and codify additional test cloth material 
verification procedures used by industry. DOE also proposes to create a new test 
procedure for residential and commercial clothes washers with additional mod ifications 
for certain test conditions, measurement of average cycle time, required test cycles, 
tested load sizes, semi - automatic clothes washer provisions, new performance metrics, 
and updated usage factors. The proposed new test procedure would be used  for the 
evaluation and issuance of updated efficiency standards, as well as to determine 
compliance with the updated standards. As part of this proposal, DOE is announcing a 
webinar to collect comments and data on this proposal. DOE is seeking comment fro m 
interested parties on the proposal.  G/TBT/N/USA/903/Rev.1  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection; Protection of the 
environment; Quality requirements   
8. Relevant documents:  86 Federal Register (FR) 49140, 1 September 2021; Title 10 
Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 429, 430 and 431:  
https://www.govinfo.g ov/content/pkg/FR -2021-09-01/html/2021 -17018.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-09-01/pdf/2021 -17018.pdf  
This notice of proposed rulemaking, reque st for comment, and announcement of webinar 
and previous actions notified under the symbol G/TBT/N/USA/903  are identified by Docket 
Number EERE -2016-BT-TP-0011. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2016-BT-TP-0011/document  and provides 
access to primary documents as well as comments received. Documents are also 
accessible from Regulations.gov  by searching the Docket Number. WTO Members and 
their stakeholders are sked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point . 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 wi thin the comment period.  
G/TBT/N/USA/1638 and subsequent addenda and corrigenda  - Energy Conservation 
Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Clothes Washers and Clothes Dryers  
Actions notified under the symbol G/TBT/N/USA/1638  are identified by docket number 
EERE-2020-BT-STD-0001. The Docket Folder is available on Regulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2020-BT-STD-0001/document  and provides 
access to primary and supporting do cuments 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:  1 November 2021  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone or fax 
numbers  and email and website address es, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2021/TBT/USA/21_5571_00_e.pdf