15 USC 4305 - Disclosure of joint venture

U.S Code last checked for updates: Jan 09, 2026

§ 4305.

Disclosure of joint venture

(a)

Written notifications; filing

(1)

Any party to a joint venture, acting on such venture’s behalf, may, not later than 90 days after entering into a written agreement to form such venture or not later than 90 days after October 11, 1984, whichever is later, file simultaneously with the Attorney General and the Commission a written notification disclosing—

(A)

the identities of the parties to such venture,

(B)

the nature and objectives of such venture, and

(C)

if a purpose of such venture is the production of a product, process, or service, as referred to in

Any party to such venture, acting on such venture’s behalf, may file additional disclosure notifications pursuant to this section as are appropriate to extend the protections of section 4303 of this title. In order to maintain the protections of section 4303 of this title, such venture shall, not later than 90 days after a change in its membership, file simultaneously with the Attorney General and the Commission a written notification disclosing such change.

(2)

A standards development organization may, not later than 90 days after commencing a standards development activity engaged in for the purpose of developing or promulgating a 1

 So in original.

voluntary consensus standards or not later than 90 days after June 22, 2004, whichever is later, file simultaneously with the Attorney General and the Commission, a written notification disclosing—

(A)

the name and principal place of business of the standards development organization, and

(B)

documents showing the nature and scope of such activity.

Any standards development organization may file additional disclosure notifications pursuant to this section as are appropriate to extend the protections of section 4303 of this title to standards development activities that are not covered by the initial filing or that have changed significantly since the initial filing.

(b)

Publication; Federal Register; notice

(c)

Effect of notice

If with respect to a notification filed under subsection (a), notice is published in the Federal Register, then such notification shall operate to convey the protections of section 4303 of this title as of the earlier of—

(1)

the date of publication of notice under subsection (b), or

(2)

if such notice is not so published within the time required by subsection (b), after the expiration of the 30-day period beginning on the date the Attorney General or the Commission receives the applicable information described in subsection (a).

(d)

Exemption; disclosure; information

Except with respect to the information published pursuant to subsection (b)—

(1)

all information and documentary material submitted as part of a notification filed pursuant to this section, and

(2)

all other information obtained by the Attorney General or the Commission in the course of any investigation, administrative proceeding, or case, with respect to a potential violation of the antitrust laws by the joint venture, or the standards development activity, with respect to which such notification was filed,

shall be exempt from disclosure under section 552 of title 5, and shall not be made publicly available by any agency of the United States to which such section applies except in a judicial or administrative proceeding in which such information and material is subject to any protective order.

(e)

Withdrawal of notification

(f)

Judicial review; inapplicable with respect to notifications

(g)

Admissibility into evidence; disclosure of conduct; publication of notice; supporting or answering claims under antitrust laws

(1)

Except as provided in paragraph (2), for the sole purpose of establishing that a person or standards development organization is entitled to the protections of section 4303 of this title, the fact of disclosure of conduct under subsection (a) and the fact of publication of a notice under subsection (b) shall be admissible into evidence in any judicial or administrative proceeding.

(2)

No action by the Attorney General or the Commission taken pursuant to this section shall be admissible into evidence in any such proceeding for the purpose of supporting or answering any claim under the antitrust laws or under any State law similar to the antitrust laws.

(Pub. L. 98–462, § 6, Oct. 11, 1984, 98 Stat. 1818; Pub. L. 103–42, § 3(f), June 10, 1993, 107 Stat. 119; Pub. L. 108–237, title I, § 107, June 22, 2004, 118 Stat. 664.)

cite as: 15 USC 4305