G/TBT/N/USA/1394  
 
30 August 2018  
(18-5427) 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: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [1416]  
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 [  ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Motor 
vehicles ; Environmental protection (ICS 13.020), Road vehicles in general (ICS 43.020), 
Road vehicle systems (ICS 43.040).  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: The Safer 
Affordable Fuel -Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule f or Model Years 2021 -2026 Passenger Cars 
and Light Trucks (515 page(s), in English)   
6. Description of content: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and 
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are proposing the "Safer Affordable Fuel-
Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021 - 2026 Passenger Cars and Light 
Trucks" (SAFE Vehicles Rule). The SAFE Vehicles Rule, if finalized, would amend certain 
existing Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and tailpipe carbon dioxide emiss ions 
standards for passenger cars and light trucks and establish new standards, all covering 
model years 2021 through 2026. More specifically, NHTSA is proposing new CAFE 
standards for model years 2022 through 2026 and amending its 2021 model year CAFE 
standards because they are no longer maximum feasible standards, and EPA is proposing 
to amend its carbon dioxide emissions standards for model years 2021 through 2025 
because they are no longer appropriate and reasonable in addition to establishing new 
stand ards for model year 2026. The preferred alternative is to retain the model year 2020 
standards (specifically, the footprint target curves for passenger cars and light trucks) for 
both programs through model year 2026, but comment is sought on a range of 
alternatives discussed throughout this document. Compared to maintaining the post -2020 
standards set forth in 2012, current estimates indicate that the proposed SAFE Vehicles 
Rule would save over 500 billion dollars in societal costs and reduce highway fatal ities by 
12,700 lives (over the lifetimes of vehicles through MY 2029). U.S. fuel consumption would 
increase by about half a million barrels per day (2 -3 percent of total daily consumption, 
according to the Energy Information Administration) and would impa ct the global climate 
by 3/1000th of one degree Celsius by 2100, also when compared to the standards set forth 
in 2012.  G/TBT/N/USA/1394  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Consumer information, labelling; Protection of the environment  
8. Relevant documents:  83 Federal Register (FR) 42986, 24 August 2018; Title 49 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 523, 531, 533, 536 and 537.  Will appear in the Federal 
Register when adopted.  
The Safer Affordable Fuel -Efficient (SAFE ) Vehicles Rule for Model Years 2021 -2026 
Passenger Cars and Light Trucks, Announcement of public hearings published 
24 August  2018 will be notified as Add.1:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2018-08-24/html/2018 -18418.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2018-08-24/pdf/2018 -18418.pdf   
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments: 23 October 2018  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [  ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:   
Part 1: https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/TBT/U SA/18_4658_00_e.pdf  
Part 2: https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/TBT/USA/18_4658_01_e.pdf  
Part 3: https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/TBT/USA/18_4658_02_e.pdf