1.

Notifying Member: United States of America

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) [1076]

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): Hearing aids. Orthopaedic appliances, including crutches, surgical belts and trusses; splints and other fracture appliances; artificial parts of the body; hearing aids and other appliances which are worn or carried, or implanted in the body, to compensate for a defect or disability. (HS: 9021). Aids for deaf and hearing impaired people (ICS: 11.180.15)

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Hearing Aid Compatibility Standards (16 pages, in English)

6.

Description of content: In this document, the Commission proposes to amend its hearing aid compatibility (HAC) rules to enhance equal access to the national telecommunications network by people with hearing loss and implement the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility. The proposed changes would expand the scope of the wireline HAC rules, add a volume control requirement for wireless handsets, address recently revised technical standards, and streamline the process for enabling industry to use new or revised technical standards for assessing HAC compliance.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: Prevention of deceptive practices and consumer protection

8.

Relevant documents: 80 Federal Register (FR) 80722, 28 December 2015; Title 47 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 20 and 68. Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted.

9.

Proposed date of adoption: To be determined

Proposed date of entry into force: To be determined

10.

Final date for comments: 26 February 2016

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/2016/TBT/USA/16_0016_00_e.pdf