2020-07136. Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request; Five-Year Records Retention Requirement for Export Transactions and Boycott Actions

AGENCY:

Bureau of Industry and Security, Department of Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Department of Commerce, 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.

DATES:

To ensure consideration, written comments must be submitted on or before June 5, 2020.

ADDRESSES:

Direct all written comments to Mark Crace, IC Liaison, Bureau of Industry and Security, 1401 Constitution Avenue, Suite 2099B, Washington, DC 20233 (or via the internet at [e-mail]). All comments received are part of the public record. Comments will generally be posted without change. All Personally Identifiable Information (for example, name and address) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible. Do not submit Confidential Business Information or otherwise sensitive or protected information. You may submit attachments to electronic comments in Microsoft Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF file formats.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

This collection is necessary under Sections 760 and 762.6(a) of the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). The five-year retention requirement corresponds with the statute of limitations for violations and is necessary to preserve potential evidence for investigations. All parties involved in the export, reexport, transshipment or diversion of items subject to the EAR and the U.S. party involved in the export transaction involving a reportable boycott request are required to maintain records of these activities for a period of five years. The frequency depends upon how often each entity is involved in an export transaction or one involving a reportable boycott request.

II. Method of Collection

Submitted on paper or electronically.

III. Data

OMB Control Number: 0694-0096.

Form Number(s): N/A.

Type of Review: Regular submission.

Affected Public: Business or other for-profit organizations.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 100,000.

Estimated Time per Response: 1 second to 1 minute.

Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 258.

Estimated Total Annual Cost to Public: $0.

Respondent's Obligation: Voluntary.

Legal Authority: Export Control Reform Act 4812(b) and 4814(b)(1)(B).

IV. Request for Comments

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden (including hours and cost) of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (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.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and/or included in the request for OMB approval of this information collection; they also will become a matter of public record.

Dated: March 23, 2020.

Sheleen Dumas,

Department PRA Clearance Officer, Office of the Chief Information Officer, Commerce Department.