§ 174.15 Consolidation of protests filed by different parties.

(a) General. Subject to paragraph (b) of this section, separate protests relating to one category of merchandise covered by an entry shall be considered as a single protest whether filed as a single protest or filed as separate protests relating to the same category by one or more parties in interest or an authorized agent. (b) NAFTA or USMCA transactions. The following rules shall apply to a consolidation of multiple protests concerning a determination of origin under part 181, subpart G, or part 182, subpart G, of this chapter if one of the protests is filed by or on behalf of an exporter or producer described in § 174.12(a)(5) or (a)(6) of this part: (1) If consolidation under paragraph (a) of this section is pursuant to specific written requests for consolidation received from all interested parties who filed protests under this part, those interested parties shall be deemed to have waived their rights to confidentiality as regards business information within the meaning of § 181.121 of this chapter for NAFTA transactions or within the meaning of § 182.2 of this chapter for USMCA transactions. In such cases, a separate notice of the decision will be issued to each interested party under this part but without regard to whether the notice reflects confidential business information obtained from one but not all of those interested parties. (2) If consolidation under paragraph (a) of this section is done by the port director or Center director, before January 19, 2017, or the Center director on or after January 19, 2017, in the absence of specific written requests for consolidation from all interested parties who filed protests under this part, no waiver of confidentiality by those interested parties shall be deemed to have taken place. In such cases, a separate notice of the decision will be issued to each interested party and each such notice shall adhere to the principle of confidentiality set forth in § 181.121 of this chapter for NAFTA transactions or § 182.2 of this chapter for USMCA transactions.