Code of Federal Regulations Title 15 - Commerce and Foreign Trade
Title 15 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is a comprehensive collection of federal laws and regulations pertaining to Commerce and Foreign Trade within the United States. It is a critical resource for businesses, individuals, and government agencies involved in domestic and international commercial activities.
Title 15 is divided into several Subtitles and numerous Chapters, each addressing specific areas of commerce and foreign trade, and typically overseen by various agencies within the Department of Commerce and other related bodies.
Here's a general overview of the structure and key areas covered:
Subtitles:
Subtitle A — Office of the Secretary of Commerce (Parts 0-29):
These parts primarily deal with the internal operations of the Department of Commerce, including employee conduct, ethics, disclosure of government information (Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act), Nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs, debt collection, and administrative procedures for legal proceedings.
Subtitle B — Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Parts 30-1599):
This is the largest and most detailed subtitle, encompassing a wide range of regulatory topics. It includes chapters from various Department of Commerce agencies:
Chapter I — Bureau of the Census (Parts 30-199): This chapter is significant for its Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR) (15 CFR Part 30). These regulations are crucial for anyone involved in exporting, as they detail the requirements for filing Electronic Export Information (EEI) in the Automated Export System (AES), which is the foundation for collecting U.S. export trade statistics and for export control enforcement.
Chapter II — National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) (Parts 200-299): Covers regulations related to measurement standards, technology, and cybersecurity.
Chapter III — International Trade Administration (ITA) (Parts 300-399): Focuses on international trade policies, antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, import administration, and foreign-trade practices.
Chapter IV — Foreign-Trade Zones Board (Parts 400-499): Contains regulations for the establishment, operation, and administration of Foreign-Trade Zones within the U.S., which allow for certain duty exemptions or deferrals on imported goods.
Chapter VII — Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) (Parts 700-799): This is a highly critical chapter, especially the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) (Parts 730-774). These regulations control the export and reexport of "dual-use" items (commercial items that can also have military applications), as well as certain less sensitive military items, to protect national security and further U.S. foreign policy objectives.
Chapter VIII — Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) (Parts 800-899): Deals with reporting requirements for direct foreign investment in the U.S. and U.S. direct investment abroad.
Chapter IX — National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Parts 900-999): Covers regulations related to oceanic and atmospheric research, environmental data, coastal zone management, marine fisheries (though many specific fisheries regulations are in Title 50 CFR), and other related programs.
Chapter XI — National Technical Information Service (NTIS) (Parts 1100-1199): Concerns the collection and dissemination of scientific, technical, and engineering information.
Chapter XIII — East-West Foreign Trade Board (Parts 1300-1399): (This chapter may be historical or less active now).
Chapter XIV — Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) (Parts 1400-1499): Relates to programs supporting the growth of minority-owned businesses.
Subtitle C — Regulations Relating to Foreign Trade Agreements (Parts 2000-2099):
These regulations are administered by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and deal with the implementation of various international trade agreements.
Subtitle D — Regulations Relating to Telecommunications and Information (Parts 2300-2399):
Primarily overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), this subtitle contains rules concerning federal spectrum management, telecommunications policies, and information infrastructure development.
In essence, Title 15 CFR serves as the regulatory backbone for how the U.S. government interacts with and influences commercial activities, both domestically and on the global stage. It covers everything from broad trade policies and economic data collection to specific rules for exporting sensitive technologies and managing foreign trade zones.
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