15 CFR § 325.5 - Issuing the certificate.

(a) Time period. The Secretary shall determine whether to issue a certificate within ninety days after the application is deemed submitted (excluding any suspension pursuant to § 325.3(f) of the time period for making a determination). If the Secretary or the Attorney General considers it necessary, and the applicant agrees, the Secretary may take up to an additional thirty days to determine whether to issue a certificate.

(b) Determination. The Secretary shall issue a certificate to the applicant if he determines, and the Attorney General concurs, that the proposed export trade, export trade activities and methods of operation will—

(1) Result in neither a substantial lessening of competition or restraint of trade within the United States nor a substantial restraint of the export trade of any competitor of the applicant;

(2) Not unreasonably enhance, stabilize, or depress prices within the United States of the class of the goods, wares, merchandise or services exported by the applicant;

(3) Not constitute unfair methods of competition against competitors who are engaged in the export of goods, wares, merchandise or services of the class exported by the applicant; and

(4) Not include any act that may reasonably be expected to result in the sale for consumption or resale within the United States of the goods, wares, merchandise, or services exported by the applicant.

(c) Concurrence of the Attorney General.

(1) Not later than seven days after an application is deemed submitted, the Secretary shall deliver to the Attorney General a copy of the application, any information submitted in connection with the application, and any other relevant information in his possession. The Secretary and the Attorney General shall make available to each other copies of other relevant information that was obtained in connection with the application, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

(2) Not later than thirty days before the day a determination on the application is due, the Secretary shall deliver a proposed certificate to the Attorney General for discussion and comment. If the Attorney General does not agree that the proposed certificate may be issued, he shall, not later than ten days before the day a determination on the application is due, so advise the Secretary and state the reasons for the disagreement. The Secretary with the concurrence of the Attorney General, may modify or revise the proposed certificate to resolve the objections and problems raised by the Attorney General, or deny the application.

(3) If the Attorney General receives the proposed certification by the date specified in the preceding paragraph and does not respond within the time period specified in that paragraph, he shall be deemed to concur in the proposed certificate.

(d) Content of certificate. The certificate shall specify the export conduct and all persons or entities which are protected from liability under the antitrust laws. The Secretary may certify the proposed export conduct contained in the application, in whole or in part, with such changes, modifications, terms, or conditions as are appropriate. If the Secretary intends to issue a certificate different from a draft certificate submitted by the applicant, the Secretary shall first consult with the applicant.

(e) Certificate obtained by fraud. A certificate shall be void ab initio with respect to any export conduct for which a certificate was obtained by fraud.

(f) Minimum thirty-day period. The Secretary may not issue a certificate until thirty days after the summary of the application is published in the Federal Register.