[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 3]
[Revised as of January 1, 2008]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR97.18]

[Page 259]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
 CHAPTER I--AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE \1\ (STANDARDS, INSPECTIONS, 
       MARKETING PRACTICES), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED)
 
PART 97_PLANT VARIETY AND PROTECTION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 97.18  Applications handled in confidence.

    (a) Pending applications shall be handled in confidence. Except as 
provided below, no information may be given by the Office respecting the 
filing of an application, the pendency of any particular application, or 
the subject matter of any particular application. Also, nor will access 
be given to or copies furnished of any pending application or papers 
relating thereto, without written authority of the applicant, or his or 
her assignee or attorney or agent. Exceptions to the above may be made 
by the Commissioner in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552 and Sec. 1.4 of 
this title, and upon a finding that such action is necessary to the 
proper conduct of the affairs of the Office, or to carry out the 
provisions of any Act of Congress, or as provided in sections 56 or 57 
of the Act and Sec. 97.19.
    (b) Abandoned applications shall not be open to public inspection. 
However, if an abandoned application is directly referred to in an 
issued certificate and is available, it may be inspected or copies 
obtained by any person on written request, and with written authority 
received from the applicant. Abandoned applications shall not be 
returned.
    (c) Decisions of the Commissioner on abandoned applications not 
otherwise open to public inspection (see paragraph (b) of this section) 
may be published or made available for publication at the Commissioner's 
discretion. When it is proposed to release such a decision, the 
applicant shall be notified directly or through the attorney or agent of 
record, and a time, not less than 30 days, shall be set for presenting 
objections.