Ex Parte Communications
Guidelines
The Copyright Office will permit participants in this proceeding to request informal meetings with the Office to discuss specific issues raised in the written comments and/or public hearings. To ensure that such communications are governed by transparent and consistent procedures, such communications will be subject to the following guidelines:
- Ex parte meetings with the Office are intended to provide an opportunity for participants to clarify evidence and/or arguments made in prior written submissions or public hearing statements, and to respond to questions from the Office on those matters. The Office will not consider or accept new documentary materials outside the rulemaking record.
- Within two business days after the meeting, the attendees must email the Office (using the above email addresses) a letter detailing the information identified in paragraph 1 and summarizing the discussion at the meeting. The letter must summarize the substance of the views expressed and arguments made in such a way that a non-participating party will understand the scope of issues discussed; merely listing the subjects discussed or providing a 1–2 sentence description will not be sufficient. These letters will be made publicly available on the Copyright Office’s website.
- To ensure compliance with the statutory deadline, all ex parte meetings in this proceeding must take place no later than Friday, August 13, 2021. The Office will not consider requests to hold meetings after that date.