. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/USA/80 
22 September 2004 
 (04-3986) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:  English 
 
  
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circulated 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) (84) 
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):  Switches for Air Bags  
(HS  8703) (ICS 43.040). 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:   Retro Fit On-Off 
Switches for Air Bags;  Vehicle Modifications To Acco mmodate People With Disabilities  
(6 Pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:   To facilitate further the m odification of vehicles to accommodate 
individuals with disabilities, the agency is proposing to expand the existing exemption from 
a statutory provision that prohibits specified ty pes of commercial entities from either removing safety equipment or features installed on m otor vehicles pursuant to the Federal motor vehicle safety standards or altering the equipment or features so as to adversely affect their performance. In response to petiti ons for rulemaking from members of the m obility 
industry, we are proposing to include provisi ons from the advanced air bag requirements, 
the child seat anchorage sy stem requiremen ts, and the uppe r interior head protection  
requirements in this exemption. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Protection of Human Life and Health. 
8. Relevant documents:   69 Federal Register (FR) 56018 17 September 2004; Title 49 Code 
of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 595.  Will a ppear in the Federal Register when adopted. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:   }To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:   16 November 2004 G/TBT/N/USA/80 
Page 2  
 
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:   
Internet URLs: 
http://a257.g.akam aitech.net/7/257/24 22/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/
 2004/04-
20922.htm 
http://a257.g.akam ait
ech.net/7/257/24 22/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/pdf/
04-20922.pdf  
 