G/TBT/N/USA/1600  
14 April 2020  
(20-2875) 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 AME RICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:  Federal Trade Commission (FTC) [1626]  
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 diffe rent 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 [   ], other :  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Portable air 
conditioners; Air conditioning machines, comprising a motor -driven fan and elements for 
changing the temperature and humidity , including those machines in which the humidity 
cannot be separately regulated (HS 8415); Environmental protection (ICS 13.020), 
Ventilators. Fans. Air -conditioners (ICS 23.120)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Energy L abeling 
Rule (9 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed rulemaking - The Federal Trade Commission 
("FTC" or "Commission") proposes amending the Energy Labeling Rule ("Rule") to require 
EnergyGuide labels for portable air conditi oners and seeks comment on these proposed 
requirements, particularly the proposed effective date. The Commission also proposes 
conforming amendments to reflect upcoming Department of Energy ("DOE") changes to 
efficiency descriptors for central air conditio ners. In addition, the Commission seeks 
comment on the labeling requirements in our regulations.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Consumer information, labelling; Prevention of deceptive practices and 
consumer protection; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:   
• 85 Federal Register (FR) 20218, 10 April 2020; Title 16 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 305:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2020-04-10/html/2020 -06960.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2020-04-10/pdf/2020 -06960.pdf  
• G/TBT/N/USA/970 and subseque nt addenda and corrigenda  - U.S. Department of 
Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (OEERE) - Energy 
Conservation Program: Test Procedures for Portable Air Conditioners  G/TBT/N/USA/1600  
 
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  • G/TBT/N/USA/1148 and subsequent addenda - OEERE, DOE - Energy Conservation 
Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Portable Air Conditioners  
• G/TBT/N/USA/688 and G/TBT/N/USA/688/Add.1  - U.S. Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS), Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), Inadmissibility of Consumer 
Products and Industrial Equipment Noncompliant with Applicable Energy 
Conservation or Labeling Standards  
• G/TBT/N/USA/1257 and subsequent addenda - OEERE, DOE - Energy Conservation 
Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Residential Central Air Conditioners 
and Heat Pumps  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into for ce: To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  9 June 2020  
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/2020/TBT/USA/20_2563_00_e.pdf