G/TBT/N/USA/1734  
27 May 2021  
(21-4394) 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:  Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (OEERE), 
Department of Energy (DOE) [1764]  
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 [   ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other  [X]: [ X ] 
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Energy 
Conservation Program: Backstop Requirement for General Service Lamps; Environmental 
protection (ICS 13.020), Lamps and related equipment (ICS 29.140)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Energy 
Conservation Program: Backstop Requirement for General Service Lamps (5 page(s), in 
English)  
6. Description of content:  Request for information - The U.S. Department of Energy 
("DOE") is re -evaluating its prior determination that the Secretary of Energy ("Secretary") 
was not r equired to implement the statutory backstop requirement for general service 
lamps ("GSLs"). Under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, as amended, if DOE fails 
to complete a rulemaking in accordance with certain statutory criteria, or if a final rule fo r 
GSLs does not produce savings that are greater than or equal to the savings from a 
minimum efficacy standard of 45 lumens per watt ("lm/W"), the Secretary must prohibit 
the sale of any GSL that does not meet a minimum efficacy standard of 45 lm/W. This 
request for information ("RFI") solicits information from the public regarding the 
availability of lamps that would satisfy a minimum efficacy standard of 45 lm/W, as well 
other information that may be relevant to a possible implementation of the statutory 
backstop.  
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:   
86 Federal Register (FR) 28001, 25 May 2021; Title 10 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 430:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-05-25/html/2021 -11018.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2021-05-25/pdf/2021 -11018.pdf  G/TBT/N/USA/1734  
 
- 2 - 
 
  This request for information is identified by Docket Number EERE -2021-BT-STD-0005. 
The Docket Folder is available on Re gulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EERE -2021-BT-STD-0005/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 asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enqui ry 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 within the comment period.  
G/TBT/N/U SA/874 and subsequent addenda  - Energy Efficiency Program for Consumer 
Products: Energy Conservation Standards for General Service Lamps  
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  24 June 2021  
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/2021/TBT/USA/21_3680_00_e.pdf