# § 1628. Exchange of information
**(a)** **In general** The Secretary may by regulation authorize customs officers to exchange information or documents with foreign customs and law enforcement agencies if the Secretary reasonably believes the exchange of information is necessary to—
**(1)** insure compliance with any law or regulation enforced or administered by the Customs Service;
**(2)** administer or enforce multilateral or bilateral agreements to which the United States is a party;
**(3)** assist in investigative, judicial and quasi-judicial proceedings in the United States; and
**1** an action comparable to any of those described in paragraphs (1) through (4) [^1] undertaken by a foreign customs or law enforcement agency, or in relation to a proceeding in a foreign country.
So in original. Probably should be “(3)”.
**(b)** **Nondisclosure and uses of information provided**
**(1)** Information may be provided to foreign customs and law enforcement agencies under subsection (a) only if the Secretary obtains assurances from such agencies that such information will be held in confidence and used only for the law enforcement purposes for which such information is provided to such agencies by the Secretary.
**(2)** No information may be provided under subsection (a) to any foreign customs or law enforcement agency that has violated any assurances described in paragraph (1).
**(c)** **Government agency of USMCA country**
**(1)** **In general** The Secretary may authorize U.S. Customs and Border Protection to exchange information with any government agency of a USMCA country, if the Secretary—
**(A)** reasonably believes the exchange of information is necessary to implement chapter 2, 4, 5, 6, or 7 of the USMCA; and
**(B)** obtains assurances from such agency that the information will be held in confidence and used only for governmental purposes.
**(2)** **Definitions** section 4502 of this title
In this subsection, the terms “USMCA” and “USMCA country” have the meanings given those terms in .
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**Source Credit**: (June 17, 1930, ch. 497, title IV, § 628, as added Pub. L. 99–570, title III, § 3127, Oct. 27, 1986, 100 Stat. 3207–89; amended Pub. L. 103–182, title II, § 209, Dec. 8, 1993, 107 Stat. 2098; Pub. L. 116–113, title II, § 209(c), Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 52.)
## Editorial Notes
### Amendments
2020—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “The Secretary may authorize the Customs Service to exchange information with any government agency of a NAFTA country, as defined in , if the Secretary—
“(1) reasonably believes the exchange of information is necessary to implement chapter 3, 4, or 5 of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and
“(2) obtains assurances from such country that the information will be held in confidence and used only for governmental purposes.”
1993—Subsec. (c). added subsec. (c).
## Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
### Effective Date of 2020 Amendment; Retention of Authority To Exchange Information
Amendment by effective on the date the USMCA enters into force () and applicable with respect to goods entered for consumption, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after that date, see , set out as an Effective Date of 2020 Amendment note under .
> “Notwithstanding the amendment made by subsection (c) [amending this section], the Secretary of the Treasury shall retain the authority provided in section 628(c) of the Tariff Act of 1930 [
>
> ] (as in effect on the day before the date on which the USMCA enters into force [
>
> ]) to exchange information with any government agency of a NAFTA country (as defined in section 2 of the North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act [
>
> ] (as in effect on the day before the date on which the USMCA enters into force)).”
, , , provided that:
[For definition of “USMCA” as used in , set out above, see .]
### Effective Date of 1993 Amendment
Amendment by effective on the date the North American Free Trade Agreement enters into force with respect to the United States (), see , formerly set out as an Effective Date note under former .
### Transfer of Functions
For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the United States Customs Service of the Department of the Treasury, including functions of the Secretary of the Treasury relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections 203(1), 551(d), 552(d), and 557 of Title 6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of , as modified, set out as a note under . For establishment of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Department of Homeland Security, treated as if included in as of , see , as amended generally by , and , set out as a note under .