32 C.F.R. § 2001.32 – Declassification guides.

(a) Preparation of declassification guides. Beginning one year after the effective date of this directive, declassification guides must be submitted to the Director of ISOO, serving as the Executive Secretary of the Panel, at least one year prior to the onset of automatic declassification for approval by the Panel. Currently approved guides remain in effect until a new guide is approved, to the extent they are otherwise applied consistent with section 3.3(b) of the Order. The information to be exempted must be narrowly defined, with sufficient specificity to allow the user to identify the information with precision. Exemptions must be based upon specific content and not type of document. Exemptions for general categories of information are not acceptable. Agencies must prepare guides that clearly delineate between the exemptions proposed under sections 3.3(b), 3.3(h)(1) and (2), and 3.3(h)(3).
(b) General content of declassification guides. Declassification guides must be specific and detailed as to the information requiring continued classification and clearly and demonstrably explain the reasons for continued classification. Declassification guides shall:
1. (1) Be submitted by the agency head or the designated senior agency official;
2. (2) Provide the date of issuance or last review;
3. (3) State precisely the information that the agency proposes to exempt from automatic declassification and to specifically declassify;
4. (4) Identify any related files series that have been exempted from automatic declassification pursuant to section 3.3(c) of the Order; and
5. (5) To the extent a guide is used in conjunction with the automatic declassification provisions in section 3.3 of the Order, state precisely the elements of information to be exempted from declassification to include:
  1. (i) The appropriate exemption category listed in section 3.3(b), and, if appropriate, section 3.3(h) of the Order; and
  2. (ii) A date or event for declassification that is in accordance with section 3.3(b) or section 3.3(h).
(c) Internal review and update. Agency declassification guides shall be reviewed and updated as circumstances require, but at least once every five years. Each agency shall maintain a list of its declassification guides in use.
(d) Dissemination of guides.
1. (1) Declassification guides shall be disseminated within the agency to be used by all personnel with declassification review responsibilities.
2. (2) Declassification guides or detailed declassification guidance shall be submitted to the Director of the NDC in accordance with section 3.7(b)(3) of the Order.