FY 19-20

TTB Extends Comment Period on Proposals to Eliminate Certain Standards of Fill for Wine and Distilled Spirits

FY—19—20

Washington, D.C. – On Monday, August 12, 2019, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) will publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing a 60-day extension of the public comment period for its proposals to eliminate all but a minimum standard of fill for wine containers and all but a minimum and maximum standard of fill for distilled spirits containers.

The comment periods for those two proposals, contained in Notice No. 182 for wine and Notice No. 183 for distilled spirits, published in the Federal Register on July 1, 2019, will now close on October 30, 2019.

The term “standard of fill” is used in the TTB regulations to refer to the amount of liquid in the container, and TTB’s current regulations prescribe certain specific standards of fill for wine and distilled spirits containers sold within the United States, such as 750, 500, 375, 100, and 50 milliliters.  The two proposals are intended to eliminate unnecessary regulatory requirements and provide consumers broader purchasing options.

TTB welcomes comments on these proposed deregulatory actions, and it also seeks comments on the relative merits of alternatives, such as adding new authorized standards of fill or developing an expedited process for adding additional standards in the future.  All of these approaches would be intended to eliminate restrictions that inhibit competition and the movement of goods in domestic and international commerce.

You may submit comments on the two proposals and view copies of the proposed rules and any comments TTB receives about the proposals on the Regulations.gov website (https://www.regulations.gov) within Docket No. TTB–2019–0004 (for wine) and Docket No. TTB-2019-0005 (for distilled spirits).  Links to the dockets also are posted on the TTB website at https://www.ttb.gov/wine/wine-rulemaking.shtml under Notice No. 182 and at https://www.ttb.gov/spirits/spirits-rulemaking.shtml under Notice No. 183.

Alternatively, written comments may be submitted to one of these addresses:

• U.S. Mail: Director, Regulations and Rulings Division, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310 G Street NW., Box 12, Washington, DC 20005; or
• Hand delivery/courier in lieu of mail: Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, 1310   Street, NW., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005.

####

Page last reviewed: August 9, 2019
Page last updated August 9, 2019
Maintained by: Office of Congressional and Public Affairs