(a) Pursuant to section 708 of the Defense Production Act of 1950, as amended (50 U.S.C. App. 2158), the President may consult with representatives of industry, business, financing, agriculture, labor, or other interests, and may approve the making of voluntary agreements to help provide for the defense of the United States by developing preparedness programs and expanding productive capacity and supply beyond levels needed to meet essential civilian demand.

(b) Sponsor. (1) As used in this part, “sponsor” of a voluntary agreement is an officer of the Government who, pursuant to a delegation or redelegation of the functions given to the President by section 708 of the Defense Production Act (DPA) of 1950, as amended, proposes or otherwise provides for the development or carrying out of a voluntary agreement.

(2) The use of voluntary agreements, as authorized by section 708 of the DPA to help provide for the defense of the United States through the development of preparedness programs, is an activity coordinated by the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, as provided by sections 101 and 501(a) of Executive Order 10480, as amended.

(3) The sponsor of a voluntary agreement shall carry out sponsorship functions subject to the direction and control of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(c) This part applies to the development and carrying out under section 708 of the DPA, as amended, of all voluntary agreements, and the carrying out of any voluntary agreement which was entered into under former section 708 of the DPA and in effect immediately prior to April 14, 1976, and which is in a period of extension as authorized by subsection 708(f)(2) of the DPA.

(d) The rules in the part void any provision of a voluntary agreement to which they apply, if that provision is contrary to or inconsistent with them. Each voluntary agreement shall be construed as containing every substantive provision that these rules require, whether or not a particular provision is included in the agreement.

(e) Pursuant to subsection 708(d) of the DPA, the sponsor may establish such advisory committees as he deems to be necessary for developing or carrying out voluntary agreements. Such advisory committees shall comply with this part as well as with the requirements and procedures of the Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub. L. 92–463, as amended).

(a) Purpose and scope. This section establishes the standards and procedures by which voluntary agreements may be developed through consultation, pursuant to subsection 708(c) of the DPA.

(b) Proposal to develop an agreement. (1) A sponsor who wishes to develop a voluntary agreement shall submit to the Attorney General and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency a document proposing the agreement. The proposal will include statements as to: The purpose of the agreement; the factual basis for making the finding required in subsection 708(c)(1) of the DPA; the proposed participants in the agreement; and any coordination with other Federal agencies accomplished in connection with the proposal.

(2) If the Attorney General, after consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, approves this proposal, the sponsor shall then initiate one or more meetings of interested persons to develop the agreement.

(c) Conduct of meetings held to develop the agreement. (1) The sponsor shall give to the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency adequate written notice of each meeting to develop a voluntary agreement. The sponsor shall also publish in the Federal Register notice of the time, place, and nature of each meeting at least seven days prior to the meeting.

(2) The sponsor shall chair each meeting held to develop a voluntary agreement. Both the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, or their delegates, shall attend each of these meetings.

(3) Any interested person may attend a meeting held to develop a voluntary agreement, unless the sponsor of the agreement limits attendance pursuant to § 332.5 of this part.

(4) Any interested person may, as set out in the Federal Register meeting notice, submit written data and views concerning the proposed voluntary agreement, and at the discretion of the Chairman of the meeting, may be given the opportunity for oral presentation.

(d) Maintenance of records. (1) The sponsor is responsible for the making of a full and verbatim transcript of each meeting. The Chairman shall send this transcript, and any voluntary agreement resulting from the meeting, to the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and any other party or repository required by law.

(2) The sponsor of a voluntary agreement shall maintain each meeting transcript and voluntary agreement, and make them available for public inspection and copying the extent required by § 332.5 of this part.

(e) Effectiveness of agreements. The following steps must occur before a new voluntary agreement or an extension of an existing agreement may become effective:

(1) The sponsor must approve the agreement and certify in writing that it is necessary to carry out the purposes of subsection 708(c)(1) of the DPA;

(2) The Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency must approve this certification, and submit it to the Attorney General with a request for a written finding; and

(3) The Attorney General, after consulting with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, must issue a written finding that the purposes of subsection 708(c)(1) can not reasonably be achieved through a voluntary agreement having less anti-competitive effects or without any voluntary agreement.

(a) Purpose and scope. This section establishes the standards and procedures by which the participants in each approved voluntary agreement shall carry out the agreement.

(b) Participants. The participants in each voluntary agreement shall be reasonably representative of the appropriate industry or segment of that industry.

(c) Conduct of meetings held to carry out an agreement. (1) The sponsor of a voluntary agreement shall initiate, or approve in advance, each meeting of the participants in the agreement held to discuss problems, determine policies, recommend actions, and make decisions necessary to carry out the agreement.

(2) The sponsor shall provide to the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency adequate prior notice of the time, place, and nature of each meeting, and a proposed agenda of each meeting. The sponsor shall also publish in the Federal Register, reasonably in advance of each meeting, a notice of time, place, and nature of the meeting. If the sponsor has determined, pursuant to § 332.5 of this part, to limit attendance at the meeting, the sponsor shall publish this Federal Register notice within ten days of the meeting.

(3) Any interested person may attend a meeting held to carry out a voluntary agreement unless the sponsor has restricted attendance pursuant to § 332.5 of this part. A person attending a meeting under this section may present oral or written data, views, and arguments to any limitations on the manner of presentation that the sponsor may impose.

(4) No meeting shall be held to carry out any voluntary agreement unless a Federal employee, other than an individual employed pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 3109, is in attendance. Any meeting to carry out a voluntary agreement may be attended by the sponsor of the agreement, the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or their delegates.

(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a meeting between a single participant and the sponsor solely to deliver or exchange information is not subject to the requirements and procedures of this section, provided that a copy of the information is promptly delivered to the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

(d) Maintenance of records. (1) The participants in any voluntary agreement shall maintain for five years all minutes of meetings, transcripts, records, documents, and other data, including any communications among themselves or with any other member of their industry, related to the carrying out of the voluntary agreement. The participants shall agree, in writing, to make available to the sponsor, the Attorney General, the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for inspection and copying at reasonable times and upon reasonable notice any item that this section requires them to maintain.

(2) Any person required by this paragraph to maintain records shall indicate specific portions, if any, that such person believes should not be disclosed to the public pursuant to § 332.5 of this part, and the reasons therefor. Any item made available to a Government official named in this paragraph shall be available from that official for public inspection and copying to the extent set forth in § 332.5 of this part.

The Attorney General may terminate or modify a voluntary agreement, in writing, after consultation with the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission and the sponsor of the agreement. The sponsor of the agreement, with the concurrence of or at the direction of the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, may terminate or modify a voluntary agreement, in writing, after consultation with the Attorney General and the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. Any person who is a party to a voluntary agreement may terminate his participation in the agreement upon written notice to the sponsor. Any antitrust immunity conferred upon the participants in that agreement by subsection 708(j) of the DPA shall not apply to any act or omission occurring after the termination of the voluntary agreement. Immediately upon modification of a voluntary agreement, no antitrust immunity shall apply to any subsequent act or omission that is beyond the scope of the modified agreement.

(a) Interested persons may, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552, inspect or copy any voluntary agreement, minutes of meetings, transcripts, records, or other data maintained pursuant to these rules.

(b) Except as provided by paragraph (c) of this section, interested persons may attend any part of a meeting held to develop or carry out a voluntary agreement pursuant to these rules.

(c) The sponsor of a voluntary agreement may withhold material described in this section from disclosure and restrict attendance at meetings only on the grounds specified in:

(1) Section 552(b)(1) of 5 U.S.C., which applies to matter specifically required by Executive Order to be kept secret in the interest of the national defense or foreign policy. This section shall be interpreted to included matter protected under Executive Order 12065, dated June 28, 1978 (3 CFR 1979–1975 Comp. p. 678), establishing categories and criteria for classification; and

(2) Section 552(b)(3) of 5 U.S.C., which applies to matter specifically exempted from disclosure by statute; and

(3) Section 552(b)(4) of 5 U.S.C., which applies to trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person as privileged and confidential.