(a) Agreements and modifications to agreements identified in § 535.502 shall be accompanied by an Information Form containing information and data on the agreement and the parties' authority under the agreement.

(b) Parties to an agreement subject to this subpart shall complete and submit an original and five copies of the Information Form at the time the agreement is filed. A copy of the Form in Microsoft Word and Excel format may be downloaded from the Commission's home page at http://www.fmc.gov, or a paper copy of the Form may be obtained from the Bureau of Trade Analysis. In lieu of submitting paper copies, parties may complete and submit their Information Form in the Commission's prescribed electronic format, either on diskette or CD-ROM, or submit the Information Form using the automated agreement filing system in accordance with the instructions found on the Commission's home page, http://www.fmc.gov.

(c) A complete response in accordance with the instructions on the Information Form shall be supplied to each item. If a party to the agreement is unable to supply a complete response, that party shall provide either estimated data (with an explanation of why precise data are not available) or a detailed statement of reasons for noncompliance and the efforts made to obtain the required information.

(d) Agreement parties may supplement the Information Form with any additional information or material to assist the Commission's review of an agreement.

(e) The Information Form and any additional information submitted in conjunction with the filing of an agreement shall not be disclosed by the Commission except as provided in § 535.608.

Agreements and modifications to agreements between or among ocean common carriers subject to this subpart are:

(a) All agreements identified in § 535.201(a), except for low market share agreements identified in § 535.311;

(b) Modifications to an agreement that add any of the following authorities:

(1) The discussion of, or agreement upon, whether on a binding basis under a common tariff or a non-binding basis, any kind of rate or charge;

(2) The discussion of, or agreement on, capacity rationalization;

(3) The establishment of a joint service;

(4) The pooling or division of cargo traffic, earnings, or revenues and/or losses; or

(5) The discussion of, or agreement on, any service contract matter; and

(c) Modifications that expand the geographic scope of an agreement containing any authority identified in § 535.502(b).

(a) The Information Form, with instructions, for agreements and modifications to agreements subject to this subpart, are set forth in sections I through V of appendix A of this part. The instructions should be read in conjunction with the Act and this part.

(b) The Information Form shall apply as follows:

(1) Sections I and V shall be completed by parties to all agreements identified in § 535.502;

(2) Section II shall be completed by parties to agreements identified in § 535.502(a) that contain any of the following authorities: the charter or use of vessel space in exchange for compensation or services; or the rationalization of sailings or services relating to a schedule of ports, the frequency of vessel calls at ports, or the size and capacity of vessels for deployment. Such authorities do not include the establishment of a joint service, nor capacity rationalization;

(3) Section III shall be completed by parties to agreements identified in § 535.502 that contain the authority to discuss or agree on capacity rationalization; and

(4) Section IV shall be completed by parties to agreements identified in § 535.502 that contain any of the following authorities:

(i) The discussion of, or agreement upon, whether on a binding basis under a common tariff or a non-binding basis, any kind of rate or charge;

(ii) The establishment of a joint service;

(iii) The pooling or division of cargo traffic, earnings, or revenues and/or losses; or

(iv) The discussion of, or agreement on, any service contract matter.

(a) Upon a showing of good cause, the Commission may waive any part of the Information Form requirements in this subpart.

(b) A request for such a waiver must be submitted and approved by the Commission in advance of the filing of the Information Form to which the requested waiver would apply. Requests for a waiver shall be submitted in writing to the Director, Bureau of Trade Analysis, Federal Maritime Commission, Washington, DC 20573-0001, and shall state:

(1) The specific requirements from which relief is sought;

(2) The special circumstances requiring the requested relief;

(3) Relevant trade and industry data and information to substantiate and support the special circumstances requiring the requested relief;

(4) Why granting the requested waiver will not substantially impair effective review of the agreement; and

(5) A description of the full membership, geographic scope, and authority of the agreement or the agreement modification that is to be filed with the Commission.

(c) The Commission may take into account the presence or absence of shipper complaints as well as the past compliance of the agreement parties with any reporting requirement under this part in considering an application for a waiver.