CFR > Title 15 - Commerce and Foreign Trade > SUBTITLE B—Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade > CHAPTER I—BUREAU OF THE CENSUS, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE (parts 30 to 102) > PART 30—FOREIGN TRADE REGULATIONS > SUBPART G—General Administrative Provisions (§30.60 to §30.64-30.69) > 30.60—Confidentiality of Electronic Export Information.

30.60—Confidentiality of Electronic Export Information.

(a) Confidential status. The EEI collected pursuant to this Part is confidential, to be used solely for official purposes as authorized by the Secretary of Commerce. The collection of EEI by the Department of Commerce has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The information collected is used by the Census Bureau for statistical purposes only and by the BIS for export control purposes. In addition, EEI is used by other federal government agencies, such as the Department of State, CBP, and ICE for export control and other federal government agencies such as the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Bureau of Transportation Statistics for statistical purposes. Except as provided for in paragraph (e) of this section, information collected pursuant to this Part shall not be disclosed to anyone by any officer, employee, contractor, agent of the federal government or other parties with access to the EEI other than to the USPPI, or the authorized agent of the USPPI or the transporting carrier. Such disclosure shall be limited to that information provided by each party pursuant to this Part.
(b) Supplying EEI for official purposes. (1) The EEI may be supplied to federal agencies for official purposes, defined to include, but not limited to:
(i) Verification and investigation of export shipments, including penalty assessments, for export control and compliance purposes,
(ii) Providing proof of export; and
(iii) Statistical purposes;
(iv) Circumstances to be determined in the national interest pursuant to 13 U.S.C., § 301(g) and paragraph (e) of this section.
(2) The EEI may be supplied to the USPPI, or authorized agents of USPPI and carriers for compliance and audit purposes. Such disclosure shall be limited to that information provided to the AES by each party.
(c) Supplying EEI for nonofficial purposes. The official report of the EEI submitted to the United States Government shall not be disclosed by the USPPI, or the authorized agent, or representative of the USPPI for “nonofficial purposes,” either in whole or in part, or in any form including but not limited to electronic transmission, paper printout, or certified reproduction. “Nonofficial purposes” are defined to include but not limited to use of the official EEI:
(1) In support of claims by the USPPI or its authorized agent for exemption from Federal or state taxation;
(2) By the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for purposes not related to export control or compliance;
(3) By state and local government agencies, and nongovernmental entities or individuals for any purpose; and
(4) By foreign governments for any purposes.
(d) Copying of information to manifests. Because the ocean manifest can be made public under provision of CBP regulations, no information from the EEI, except the ITN, filing citation, exemptions or exclusion legends, shall be copied to the outward manifest of ocean carriers.
(e) Determination by the Secretary of Commerce. Under 13 U.S.C. 301(g), the EEI is exempt from public disclosure unless the Secretary or delegate determines that such exemption would be contrary to the national interest. The Secretary or his or her delegate may make such information available, if he or she determines it is in the national interest, taking such safeguards and precautions to limit dissemination as deemed appropriate under the circumstances. In recommendations or decisions regarding such actions, it shall be presumed to be contrary to the national interest to provide EEI for purposes set forth in paragraph (c) of this section. In determining whether, under a particular set of circumstances, it is contrary to the national interest to apply the exemption, the maintenance of confidentiality and national security shall be considered as important elements of national interest. The unauthorized disclosure of confidential EEI granted under National Interest Determination renders such persons subject to the civil penalties provided for in Subpart H of this part.
(f) Penalties. Disclosure of confidential EEI by any officer, employee, contractor, or agent of the federal government, except as provided for in paragraphs (a) and (e) of this section renders such persons subject to the civil penalties provided for in Subpart H of this part.