19 USC 1677f - Access to information

U.S Code last checked for updates: Nov 25, 2024

§ 1677f.

Access to information

(a)

Information generally made available

(1)

Public information function

(2)

Progress of investigation reports

(3)

Ex parte meetings

The administering authority and the Commission shall maintain a record of any ex parte meeting between—

(A)

interested parties or other persons providing factual information in connection with a proceeding, and

(B)

the person charged with making the determination, or any person charged with making a final recommendation to that person, in connection with that proceeding,

if information relating to that proceeding was presented or discussed at such meeting. The record of such an ex parte meeting shall include the identity of the persons present at the meeting, the date, time, and place of the meeting, and a summary of the matters discussed or submitted. The record of the ex parte meeting shall be included in the record of the proceeding.

(4)

Summaries; non-proprietary submissions

The administering authority and the Commission shall disclose—

(A)

any proprietary information received in the course of a proceeding if it is disclosed in a form which cannot be associated with, or otherwise be used to identify, operations of a particular person, and

(B)

any information submitted in connection with a proceeding which is not designated as proprietary by the person submitting it.

(b)

Proprietary information

(1)

Proprietary status maintained

(A)

In general

Except as provided in subsection (a)(4)(A) and subsection (c), information submitted to the administering authority or the Commission which is designated as proprietary by the person submitting the information shall not be disclosed to any person without the consent of the person submitting the information, other than—

(i)

to an officer or employee of the administering authority or the Commission who is directly concerned with carrying out the investigation in connection with which the information is submitted or any review under this subtitle covering the same subject merchandise, or

(ii)

to an officer or employee of the United States Customs Service who is directly involved in conducting an investigation regarding negligence, gross negligence, or fraud under this subtitle.

(B)

Additional requirements

The administering authority and the Commission shall require that information for which proprietary treatment is requested be accompanied by—

(i)

either—

(I)

a non-proprietary summary in sufficient detail to permit a reasonable understanding of the substance of the information submitted in confidence, or

(II)

a statement that the information is not susceptible to summary accompanied by a statement of the reasons in support of the contention, and

(ii)

either—

(I)

a statement which permits the administering authority or the Commission to release under administrative protective order, in accordance with subsection (c), the information submitted in confidence, or

(II)

a statement to the administering authority or the Commission that the business proprietary information is of a type that should not be released under administrative protective order.

(2)

Unwarranted designation

(3)

Section 1675 reviews

(c)

Limited disclosure of certain proprietary information under protective order

(1)

Disclosure by administering authority or Commission

(A)

In general

(B)

Protective order

(C)

Time limitation on determinations

The administering authority or the Commission, as the case may be, shall determine whether to make information available under this paragraph—

(i)

not later than 14 days (7 days if the submission pertains to a proceeding under section 1671b(a) or 1673b(a) of this title) after the date on which the information is submitted, or

(ii)

if—

(I)

the person that submitted the information raises objection to its release, or

(II)

the information is unusually voluminous or complex,

not later than 30 days (10 days if the submission pertains to a proceeding under section 1671b(a) or 1673b(a) of this title) after the date on which the information is submitted.

(D)

Availability after determination

If the determination under subparagraph (C) is affirmative, then—

(i)

the business proprietary information submitted to the administering authority or the Commission on or before the date of the determination shall be made available, subject to the terms and conditions of the protective order, on such date; and

(ii)

the business proprietary information submitted to the administering authority or the Commission after the date of the determination shall be served as required by subsection (d).

(E)

Failure to disclose

(2)

Disclosure under court order

If the administering authority denies a request for information under paragraph (1), then application may be made to the United States Customs Court for an order directing the administering authority or the Commission to make the information available. After notification of all parties to the investigation and after an opportunity for a hearing on the record, the court may issue an order, under such conditions as the court deems appropriate, which shall not have the effect of stopping or suspending the investigation, directing the administering authority or the Commission to make all or a portion of the requested information described in the preceding sentence available under a protective order and setting forth sanctions for violation of such order if the court finds that, under the standards applicable in proceedings of the court, such an order is warranted, and that—

(A)

the administering authority or the Commission has denied access to the information under subsection (b)(1),

(B)

the person on whose behalf the information is requested is an interested party who is a party to the investigation in connection with which the information was obtained or developed, and

(C)

the party which submitted the information to which the request relates has been notified, in advance of the hearing, of the request made under this section and of its right to appear and be heard.

(d)

Service

(e)

Repealed. Pub. L. 103–465, title II, § 231(d)(1), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4897

(f)

Disclosure of proprietary information under protective orders issued pursuant to the United States-Canada Agreement or the USMCA

(1)

Issuance of protective orders

(A)

In general

(B)

Authorized persons

For purposes of this subsection, the term “authorized persons” means—

(i)

the members of, and the appropriate staff of, the binational panel or the extraordinary challenge committee, as the case may be, and the Secretariat,

(ii)

counsel for parties to such panel or committee proceeding, and employees, and persons under the direction and control, of such counsel,

(iii)

any officer or employee of the United States Government designated by the administering authority or the Commission, as appropriate, to whom disclosure is necessary in order to make recommendations to the Trade Representative regarding the convening of extraordinary challenge committees under chapter 19 of the Agreement or chapter 10 of the USMCA, and

(iv)

any officer or employee of the Government of a free trade area country (as defined in section 1516a(f)(9) of this title) designated by an authorized agency of such country to whom disclosure is necessary in order to make decisions regarding the convening of extraordinary challenge committees under chapter 19 of the Agreement or chapter 10 of the USMCA.

(C)

Review

(2)

Contents of protective order

(3)

Prohibited acts

(4)

Sanctions for violation of protective orders

(5)

Review of sanctions

(6)

Enforcement of sanctions

(7)

Testimony and production of papers

(A)

Authority to obtain information

For the purpose of conducting any hearing and carrying out other functions and duties under this subsection, the administering authority and the Commission, or their duly authorized agents—

(i)

shall have access to and the right to copy any pertinent document, paper, or record in the possession of any individual, partnership, corporation, association, organization, or other entity,

(ii)

may summon witnesses, take testimony, and administer oaths,

(iii)

and may require any individual or entity to produce pertinent documents, books, or records.

Any member of the Commission, and any person so designated by the administering authority, may sign subpoenas, and members and agents of the administering authority and the Commission, when authorized by the administering authority or the Commission, as appropriate, may administer oaths and affirmations, examine witnesses, take testimony, and receive evidence.

(B)

Witnesses and evidence

(C)

Mandamus

(D)

Depositions

(E)

Fees and mileage of witnesses

(g)

Information relating to violations of protective orders and sanctions

(h)

Opportunity for comment by consumers and industrial users

(i)

Publication of determinations; requirements for final determinations

(1)

In general

(2)

Contents of notice or determination

The notice or determination published under paragraph (1) shall include, to the extent applicable—

(A)

in the case of a determination of the administering authority—

(i)

the names of the exporters or producers of the subject merchandise or, when providing such names is impracticable, the countries exporting the subject merchandise to the United States,

(ii)

a description of the subject merchandise that is sufficient to identify the subject merchandise for customs purposes,

(iii)

(I)

with respect to a determination in an investigation under part I of this subtitle or section 1675b of this title or in a review of a countervailing duty order, the amount of the countervailable subsidy established and a full explanation of the methodology used in establishing the amount, and

(II)

with respect to a determination in an investigation under part II of this subtitle or in a review of an antidumping duty order, the weighted average dumping margins established and a full explanation of the methodology used in establishing such margins, and

(iv)

the primary reasons for the determination; and

(B)

in the case of a determination of the Commission—

(i)

considerations relevant to the determination of injury, and

(ii)

the primary reasons for the determination.

(3)

Additional requirements for final determinations

In addition to the requirements set forth in paragraph (2)—

(A)

the administering authority shall include in a final determination described in paragraph (1) an explanation of the basis for its determination that addresses relevant arguments, made by interested parties who are parties to the investigation or review (as the case may be), concerning the establishment of dumping or a countervailable subsidy, or the suspension of the investigation, with respect to which the determination is made; and

(B)

the Commission shall include in a final determination of injury an explanation of the basis for its determination that addresses relevant arguments that are made by interested parties who are parties to the investigation or review (as the case may be) concerning volume, price effects, and impact on the industry of imports of the subject merchandise.

(June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title VII, § 777, as added Pub. L. 96–39, title I, § 101, July 26, 1979, 93 Stat. 187; amended Pub. L. 98–573, title VI, § 619, Oct. 30, 1984, 98 Stat. 3038; Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, §§ 1886(a)(13), 1889(8), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2922, 2926; Pub. L. 100–418, title I, § 1332, Aug. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 1207; Pub. L. 100–449, title IV, § 403(c), Sept. 28, 1988, 102 Stat. 1884; Pub. L. 101–382, title I, §§ 134(a)(4), 135(b), Aug. 20, 1990, 104 Stat. 650, 651; Pub. L. 103–182, title IV, § 412(c), Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2146; Pub. L. 103–465, title II, §§ 226–228, 231(b), (d)(1), Dec. 8, 1994, 108 Stat. 4886–4888, 4896, 4897; Pub. L. 114–125, title IV, § 413(a), Feb. 24, 2016, 130 Stat. 159; Pub. L. 116–113, title IV, § 422(a), Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 64; Pub. L. 116–260, div. O, title VI, § 601(f), Dec. 27, 2020, 134 Stat. 2151.)

cite as: 19 USC 1677f