For those that are submitting a Voluntary Self-Disclosure (VSD), please send it electronically to the Trade Regulations Branch (TRB) in a password-protected file to emd.askregs@census.gov. Do not mail or courier your VSD submission. Please allow time for your VSD to be assigned to a TRB analyst and case number. Once assigned, the analyst will reach out to you directly for further guidance in this process.

Overview

A voluntary self-disclosure (VSD) is a narrative account with supporting documentation that describes violations or suspected violations of the Foreign Trade Regulations (FTR). A VSD reflects due diligence in detecting, and correcting potential violation(s) when required information was not reported or when incorrect information was provided that violates the FTR. VSDs are critical to the Census Bureau’s export statistical processing. Filing of and corrections to Electronic Export Information (EEI) that were not filed or filed incorrectly allows the Census Bureau to make annual revisions to published statistical releases.

VSDs should include:

The kind of violation involved, for example, failure to file EEI, failure to correct fatal errors, failure to file timely corrections;
Describe all data that was either not reported or reported incorrectly;
An explanation of when and how the violations occurred;
The complete identities and addresses of all individuals and entities, whether foreign or domestic, involved in the activities giving rise to the violations;
A description of any mitigating factors;
Corrective measures taken; and
ITNs of the missed and/or corrected shipments.

The TRB has developed a fillable PDF form that contains what is necessary for a complete VSD under section 30.74 of the Foreign Trade Regulations. Please access the following documents to complete the VSD process:

VSD Form
VSD Form Instruction Guide
VSD Company Audit Spreadsheet Template
Any supplemental information (if applicable)

If at the time of the VSD submission, the submitter is still gathering facts of the circumstances of the potential violations and not ready to complete the fillable VSD form, the submitter may electronically send an initial notification to the Census Bureau on company letterhead, and addressed to:

Chief, Economic Management Division
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Road,
Suitland, MD 20746

For more information on VSDs, please refer to FTR section 30.74. For questions regarding when a VSD should be made, or regarding a correction for a specific transaction(s), please contact the Trade Regulations Branch on (800) 549-0595, option 3.