Skip to main content

Consent agreement given final approval:

Following a public comment period, the Commission has made final a consent agreement with the following and issued a response letter to a commentor: SmartScience Laboratories, Inc. The Commission vote to finalize the consent order was 5-0. (File No. 992-3274; staff contact is Janet M. Evans, Bureau of Consumer Protection, 202-326-2125; see press release dated August 16, 2000.)

Publication of Federal Register notice:

The Commission has approved the publication of a Federal Register notice regarding the following: Amending the FTC's Rules of Practice Regarding Requests from Law Enforcement Agencies for Records and for the Commission to Open Investigations. As explained in the notice, the first two of these amendments delegate to the Director of the Bureau of Competition the authority to respond to certain requests made pursuant to agreements under the International Antitrust Enforcement Assistance Act (IAEAA). The first amendment covers IAEAA requests seeking existing records, including the information contained in those records. The second amendment covers IAEAA requests asking the Commission to open a new investigation, as long as the requester does not ask the FTC to use compulsory process in that investigation. Both delegations provide for a three-day negative option review by the Commissioners. A third amendment allows certain information requests from state agencies to be addressed to an appropriate FTC liaison officer, rather than the Office of the General Counsel.

The Commission vote to publish the Federal Register notice announcing the changes was 5-0. The amendments will be effective upon their publication in Federal Register. (File No. P859907; staff contact is Marc Winerman, Office of the General Counsel, 202-326-2451.)

Copies of the documents mentioned in this release are available from the FTC's Web site at http://www.ftc.gov and also from the FTC's Consumer Response Center, Room 130, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20580. The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To file a complaint, or to get free information on any of 150 consumer topics, call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357), or use the complaint form at www.ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies worldwide.

Media Contact:

Office of Public Affairs

202-326-2180

Return to top