Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2005/08/08/05-15561/service-of-process-on-foreign-manufacturers-and-importers
Timestamp: 2018-07-21 14:46:57
Document Index: 594834060

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 551', 'art 551', 'art 551', 'art 551', 'art 1320', 'art 551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551', '§\u2009551']

Federal Register :: Service of Process on Foreign Manufacturers and Importers
Service of Process on Foreign Manufacturers and Importers
A Rule by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on 08/08/2005
This final rule becomes effective October 7, 2005.
Docket No. NHTSA-2005-21972
2127-AJ69
Statutory Basis for the Final Rule
List of Subjects in 49 CFR Part 551
Subpart D—Service of Process on Foreign Manufacturers and Importers Designation of an Agent for Service of Process
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/05-15561 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/05-15561
This final rule amends NHTSA's regulation on service of process on foreign manufacturers and importers to clarify existing regulatory requirements by rephrasing the regulation in a plain language, question and answer format and inserting an appendix containing a suggested designation form for use by foreign manufacturers and their agents. It also will enhance communications between foreign manufacturers and the agency by spelling out existing requirements for providing notice to NHTSA of changes in company name, address and product names, and changing the office to which foreign manufacturers must submit designation and related documents to reflect organizational changes occurring since the regulation was adopted.
Petitions: Any petitions for reconsideration of today's final rule must be received by NHTSA not later than September 22, 2005.
Ms. Dana Sade, Office of the Chief Counsel, at (202) 366-1834, facsimile (202) 366-3820. You may send mail to Ms. Sade at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 400 Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590.
NHTSA published a rule on December 25, 1968 that established a procedure for foreign manufacturers, assemblers and importers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment (hereinafter referred to as “foreign manufacturers”) to designate an agent for service of process in the United States. Over time, NHTSA has found that many foreign manufacturers have submitted incomplete designation documents containing common errors and omissions. Often NHTSA receives designation documents not properly dated or signed, or otherwise lacking information necessary to effect a valid designation or replacement of agent under the regulation. NHTSA has found also that foreign manufacturers often fail to provide adequate notice to NHTSA of changes in company name, address and product names or trademarks.
This document clarifies existing regulatory requirements by rephrasing 49 CFR part 551, subpart D in a plain language, question and answer format and inserting an appendix containing a suggested designation form for use by foreign manufacturers and their agents. It also will enhance communications between foreign manufacturers and the agency by spelling out requirements for providing notice to NHTSA of changes in company name, address and product names, marks, or other designations of origin. Finally, it changes the NHTSA office to which foreign manufacturers must submit documents, as a result of organizational changes that have occurred in the agency since the regulation was adopted.
The purpose of the amendments is to make clearer the requirements of 49 CFR part 551, subpart D and improve communications between the agency and foreign manufacturers, thereby reducing the burdens associated with repeated filings to correct common errors. Since they are technical amendments only and make no substantive changes to the regulation, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553(b)(3)(B) prior notice and comment are not required.
Section 110(e) of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 (49 U.S.C. 30164) requires a foreign manufacturer offering a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment for importation into the United States to designate a permanent resident of the United States as its agent upon whom service of notices and processes may be made in administrative and judicial proceedings. This final rule revises a regulation that implements that statutory requirement at 49 CFR Part 551, Subpart D. Start Printed Page 45566
This rule will not have any of these effects and was not reviewed under Executive Order 12866. It is not significant within the meaning of the DOT Regulatory Policies and Procedures. The effect of this rule is not to impose new requirements but to clarify existing regulatory requirements and update the address to which foreign manufacturers must submit designation and related documents. This rule will not impose any additional burden on any person. Rather, by making more clear existing regulatory requirements and directing agent submissions to a NHTSA office with enhanced document tracking capabilities, it will reduce the burden on foreign manufacturers, who now often submit incomplete agent documents several times before satisfying the regulation's requirements, and also frequently submit such documents to NHTSA offices not involved in administering this regulation. The agency believes that this impact is minimal and does not warrant the preparation of a regulatory evaluation.
The following is our statement providing the factual basis for the certification (5 U.S.C. 605(b)). This rule will not have any significant economic impact on a substantial number of small businesses because the rule merely clarifies existing requirements of a final rule published on December 25, 1968 and changes the office to which foreign manufacturers submit agent documents. Foreign manufacturers and importers of motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment, regardless of size, will not be significantly affected because this rule does not change the regulatory requirements with which they are required to comply. Accordingly, we have not prepared a Final Regulatory Flexibility Analysis.
Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), a person is not required to respond to a collection of information by a Federal agency unless the collection displays a valid OMB control number. This rule does not impose any new collection of information requirements for which a 5 CFR Part 1320 clearance must be obtained. DOT previously submitted to OMB and OMB approved the collection of information mandated by this regulation in OMB Clearance No. 2127-0040, which expires on May 31, 2006.
If you wish to do so, please comment on the extent to which this final rule effectively uses plain language principles. Start Printed Page 45567
This rule does not implicate any technical standards developed by voluntary consensus standards bodies.
Designation of an agent for service
Form and content of designation
For the foregoing reasons, Subpart D of 49 CFR Part 551 is revised to read as follows:
Who must comply with this subpart and when?
Who may serve as an agent for a foreign manufacturer?
May an official of a foreign manufacturer serve as its agent?
May a foreign manufacturer replace its agent?
May more than one foreign manufacturer designate the same person as agent?
May an agent assign performance of its functions to another individual or entity?
How long will a foreign manufacturer's designation of agent remain in effect?
What is the required format for a designation?
What are the required contents for a designation?
What information must a Designation by Foreign Manufacturer contain?
What information must an Acceptance by Agent contain?
Who may sign the Designation by Foreign Manufacturer?
Who may sign the Acceptance by Agent?
May the same individual sign both the Designation by Foreign Manufacturer and Acceptance by Agent?
When must the Designation by Foreign Manufacturer be signed?
When must the Acceptance by Agent be signed?
Where should a foreign manufacturer mail the designation?
May a foreign manufacturer submit a designation by email or facsimile?
What if designation documents submitted by a foreign manufacturer do not comply with this subpart?
What if a foreign manufacturer changes its name, address or product names or marks?
What is the legal effect of service of process on an agent?
Where and how may an agent be served?
What if an agent cannot be served?
§ 551.45
§ 551.46
§ 551.47
§ 551.48
§ 551.49
§ 551.51
§ 551.52
§ 551.53
(c) As long as documents submitted by a foreign manufacturer and its agent contain all required information (identified in §§ 551.54, 551.55 and 551.56 below), there is no mandatory format for the designation
(d) NHTSA encourages foreign manufacturers to use the suggested designation form set forth in the Appendix to this subpart. If completed and executed properly by both a foreign manufacturer and its agent, this form will comply fully with the requirements of §§ 551.53 through 551.65.
§ 551.54
§ 551.55
§ 551.56
§ 551.57
§ 551.58
§ 551.59
§ 551.61
§ 551.62
Foreign manufacturers must mail their designations to the Office of the Start Printed Page 45569Executive Secretariat, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Room 5221, 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. No other NHTSA office is authorized to accept designation documents. To avoid delays, the agency suggests using express mail services.
§ 551.63
§ 551.64
§ 551.65
§ 551.66
§ 551.67
§ 551.68
Issued on: August 2, 2005.
[FR Doc. 05-15561 Filed 8-5-05; 8:45 am]