Proposed Rules. Notice announcing publication of Staff Report on the Franchise Rule

Agency: Federal Trade Commission
Action: Notice announcing publication of Staff Report on the Franchise Rule
Citation: FR Doc. 04-19969 · 16 CFR 436

Summary

The Federal Trade Commission (“Commission”) announces the publication of the Staff Report on the Franchise Rule. The Staff Report sets forth the staff's recommendations to the Commission on the various proposed amendments to the Franchise Rule.

Dates

Comments on the Staff Report must be submitted on or before November 12, 2004.

Supplementary Information

The Franchise Rule requires the pre-sale disclosure of material information to prospective franchisees about the franchisor, the franchised business, and the terms and conditions that govern the franchise relationship. The Commission has engaged in an ongoing effort to amend the Franchise Rule, starting with a review of the Franchise Rule in 1995, 1 followed by the publication of an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in 1997, 2 and the publication of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in 1999. 3 1 60 FR 17656 (Apr. 7, 1995). 2 62 FR 9115 (Feb. 28, 1997). 3 64 FR 57294 (Oct. 22, 1999). Pursuant to the Commission's Rules of Practice, and the rulemaking procedures specified earlier in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission now announces the availability of the Staff Report on the Franchise Rule. The Staff Report summarizes the rulemaking record to date, analyzes the various alternatives, and sets forth the staff's recommendations to the Commission on the revised Rule. The Staff Report has not been reviewed or adopted by the Commission. The Staff Report is available from the Commission's Public Reference Room, Room H-130, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580. It is also available on the FTC's Web site, at http://www.ftc.gov, by searching on the phrase (with quotation marks): “Staff Report + Franchise”. The Commission invites interested parties to submit written data, views, and arguments on the recommendations announced in the Staff Report, by following the instructions in the ADDRESSES section of this Notice. Comments, however, are to be limited to those matters that are already part of the rulemaking record. Further, comments previously submitted in the ongoing rulemaking procedure are already part of the rulemaking record and need not be repeated. Written communications and summaries or transcripts of any oral communications respecting the merits of this proceeding from any outside party to any Commissioner or Commissioner's advisor will also be placed on the public record. See 16 CFR 1.26(b)(5). The FTC Act and other laws the Commission administers permit the collection of public comments to consider and use in this proceeding as appropriate. All timely and responsive public comments, whether filed in paper or electronic form, will be considered by the Commission, and will be available to the public on the FTC Web site, to the extent practicable, at http://www.ftc.gov. As a matter of discretion, the FTC makes every effort to remove home contact information for individuals from the public comments it receives before placing those comments on the FTC Web site. More information, including routine uses permitted by the Privacy Act, may be found in the FTC's privacy policy, at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/privacy.htm. Upon the completion of the comment period, the staff will make final recommendations to the Commission about the Rule. Assuming the Commission adopts the proposed revised Rule, it will publish another Federal Register notice in the future with the final text of the revised Rule, a Statement of Basis and Purpose on the Rule, and an announcement of when the revised Rule will become effective. List of Subjects in 16 CFR Part 436 Advertising, Business and industry, Franchising, Trade practices. Authority: 15 U.S.C. 41-58. By direction of the Commission. Donald S. Clark, Secretary. [FR Doc. 04-19969 Filed 9-1-04; 8:45 am]