. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/123 
24 June 2005 
 (05-2713) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6. 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   UNITED STATES
 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):         
2. Agency responsible:   Department of Transportation National Highway Traffic Safety 
Administration (NHTSA) (128) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, e-mail and web-site 
addresses, if available) of  agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be  indicated if different from above:         
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):   Seat belt assembly and 
seating positions (HS:  8703; ICS:  43.040). 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Federal Motor 
Vehicle Safety Standards;  Designated S eating Positions and Seat Belt Assembly 
Anchorages  (15 Pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:   We are proposing to amend the definition of "designated seating 
position" in the Federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSSs), and to establish a new procedure for determining the number of d esignated seating positions on bench and split 
bench seats.  This document also proposes to a pply that procedure to all types of vehicles, 
regardless of weight, and eliminate the existing exclusion for temporary or folding jump 
seats.  The proposed rule would also revi se test procedures for seat belt anchorage 
requirements so that they are suitable for side-facing, temporary or folding jump seats. NHTSA's goal in proposing these amendments  is to improve the objectivity of the 
"designated seating position" definition and thereby facilitate efforts of the agency to ensure 
that the number of designated seating positions and occupant restraint systems in a vehicle 
is representative of real world occupancy.  Th e proposed rule would also revise the general 
incorporation by reference provision for the FM VSSs by providing a centralized index of all 
matters therein incorporated by reference. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of human life 
8. Relevant documents:   70 Federal Register (FR) 36094  22 June 2005;  Title 49 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 571.  Will app ear in the Federal Register when adopted. G/TBT/N/USA/123 
Page 2  
 
 9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:   22 August 2005 
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [  X ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:        
Full text may be found at the following Internet URLs: 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/05-
12240.htm 
http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/24 22/01jan20051800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdg/
05-12240.pdf