(a) The regulated person may maintain reproductions instead of the original records provided all of the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section are met.
(b) In order to maintain the records required by § 762.2 of this part, the regulated persons defined in § 762.1 of this part may use any photographic, photostatic, miniature photographic, micrographic, automated archival storage, or other process that completely, accurately, legibly and durably reproduces the original records (whether on paper, microfilm, or through electronic digital storage techniques). The process must meet all of the following requirements, which are applicable to all systems:
(1) The system must be capable of reproducing all records on paper.
(2) The system must record and be able to reproduce all marks, information, and other characteristics of the original record, including both obverse and reverse sides of paper documents in legible form.
(3) When displayed on a viewer, monitor, or reproduced on paper, the records must exhibit a high degree of legibility and readability. (For purposes of this section, legible and legibility mean the quality of a letter or numeral that enable the observer to identify it positively and quickly to the exclusion of all other letters or numerals. Readable and readability mean the quality of a group of letters or numerals being recognized as complete words or numbers.)
(4) The system must preserve the initial image (including both obverse and reverse sides of paper documents) and record all changes, who made them and when they were made. This information must be stored in such a manner that none of it may be altered once it is initially recorded.
(5) The regulated person must establish written procedures to identify the individuals who are responsible for the operation, use and maintenance of the system.
(6) The regulated person must establish written procedures for inspection and quality assurance of records in the system and document the implementation of those procedures.
(7) The system must be complete and contain all records required to be kept by this part or the regulated person must provide a method for correlating, identifying and locating records relating to the same transaction(s) that are kept in other record keeping systems.
(8) The regulated person must keep a record of where, when, by whom, and on what equipment the records and other information were entered into the system.
(9) Upon request by the Office of Export Enforcement, the Office of Antiboycott Compliance, or any other agency of competent jurisdiction, the regulated person must furnish, at the examination site, the records, the equipment and, if necessary, knowledgeable personnel for locating, reading, and reproducing any record in the system.
(c) Requirements applicable to systems based on the storage of digital images. For systems based on the storage of digital images, the system must provide accessibility to any digital image in the system. With respect to records of transactions, including those involving restrictive trade practices or boycott requirements or requests. The system must be able to locate and reproduce all records relating to a particular transaction based on any one of the following criteria:
(1) The name(s) of the parties to the transaction;
(2) Any country(ies) connected with the transaction; or
(3) A document reference number that was on any original document.
(d) Requirements applicable to a system based on photographic processes. For systems based on photographic, photostatic, or miniature photographic processes, the regulated person must maintain a detailed index of all records in the system that is arranged in such a manner as to allow immediate location of any particular record in the system.