E6-978. Proposed Collection; Comment Request for Reporting and Procedures Regulations

AGENCY:

Office of Foreign Assets Control, Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comments.

SUMMARY:

The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing information collections, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law 104-13 (44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)). Currently, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) within the Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning OFAC's information collection requirements contained within OFAC's Reporting, Procedures and Penalties Regulations set forth at 31 CFR part 501.

DATES:

Written comments should be received on or before March 27, 2006, to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to “Paperwork Reduction Act” care of the Licensing Division, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Annex—2d Floor, Washington, DC 20220.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information about the filings or procedures should be directed to the Licensing Division, Office of Foreign Assets Control, Department of the Treasury, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Annex—2d Floor, Washington, DC 20220.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Reporting, Procedures and Penalties Regulations.

OMB Number: 1505-0164.

Agency Form Number: TD-F-90-22.50.

Abstract: The collections of information are contained in §§ 501.601 through 501.605, 501.801, and 501.803 through 501.807 and pertain to the operation of various economic sanctions programs administered by OFAC under 31 CFR Chapter V. Section 501.601 relates to the maintenance of records and § 501.602 relates to OFAC demands for information relative to any transaction or property subject to the provisions of 31 CFR Chapter V. Section 501.603 imposes reporting requirements pertaining to blocked assets and retained funds transfers. This information is required by OFAC to monitor compliance with regulatory requirements, to support diplomatic negotiations concerning the targets of sanctions, and to support settlement negotiations addressing U.S. claims. Section 501.604 requires the filing of reports for compliance purposes by U.S. financial institutions where a funds transfer is not required to be blocked but is rejected because the underlying transaction is otherwise prohibited. Section 501.605 requires reporting of information pertaining to litigation, arbitration, and other binding alternative dispute resolution proceedings in the United States to prevent the intentional or inadvertent transfer through such proceedings of blocked property or retained funds. Sections 501.801 and 501.803 through 501.805 relate to license requests; the amendment, modification or revocation of licenses; rulemaking; and document requests. Section 501.806 sets forth the procedures to be followed by a person seeking to have funds released at a financial institution if the person believes that the funds were blocked due to mistaken identity. Section 501.807 sets forth the procedures to be followed by persons seeking administrative reconsideration of their designation or that of a vessel as blocked, or who wish to assert that the circumstances resulting in the designation are no longer applicable.

The likely respondents and recordkeepers affected by the information collections contained in part 501 are financial institutions, business organizations, and legal representatives. The estimated total annual reporting and/or recordkeeping burden is approximately 26,250 hours. The estimated annual burden per respondent/record keeper varies from thirty minutes to 10 hours, depending on individual circumstances, with an estimated average of 1.25 hours. The estimated number of respondents and/or record keepers is 21,000. The estimated annual frequency of responses: 1-12.

Current Actions: There are no changes being made to the notice at this time.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Financial institutions, business organizations, and legal representatives.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 21,000.

Estimated Time Per Respondent: 1.25 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 26,250.

The following paragraph applies to all of the collections of information covered by this notice:

An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless the collection of information displays a valid OMB control number. Books or records relating to a collection of information must be retained for five years.

Request for Comments

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Approved: January 20, 2006.

Jamal El-Hindi,

Associate Director, Program Policy & Implementation, Office of Foreign Assets Control.