In the case of an application for registration or reregistration to import a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or II, under the authority of section 1002(a)(2)(B) of the Act (21 U.S.C. 952(a)(2)(B)), the Administrator shall, upon the filing of such application, publish in the Federal Register a notice naming the applicant and stating that such applicant has applied to be registered as an importer of a Schedule I or II controlled substance, which substance shall be identified. A copy of said notice shall be mailed simultaneously to each person registered as a bulk manufacturer of that controlled substance and to any other applicant therefor. Any such person may, within 30 days from the date of publication of the notice in the Federal Register, file written comments on or objections to the issuance of the proposed registration, and may, at the same time, file a written request for a hearing on the application pursuant to § 1301.43. If a hearing is requested, the Administrator shall hold a hearing on the application in accordance with § 1301.41. Notice of the hearing shall be published in the Federal Register, and shall be mailed simultaneously to the applicant and to all persons to whom notice of the application was mailed. Any such person may participate in the hearing by filing a notice of appearance in accordance with § 1301.43 of this chapter. Notice of the hearing shall contain a summary of all comments and objections filed regarding the application and shall state the time and place for the hearing, which shall not be less than 30 days after the date of publication of such notice in the Federal Register. A hearing pursuant to this section may be consolidated with a hearing held pursuant to § 1301.35 or § 1301.36 of this part.

The Administrator shall register an applicant to import a controlled substance listed in Schedule I or II if he/she determines that such registration is consistent with the public interest and with U.S. obligations under international treaties, conventions, or protocols in effect on May 1, 1971. In determining the public interest, the following factors shall be considered:

Maintenance of effective controls against diversion of particular controlled substances and any controlled substance in Schedule I or II compounded therefrom into other than legitimate medical, scientific research, or industrial channels, by limiting the importation and bulk manufacture of such controlled substances to a number of establishments which can produce an adequate and uninterrupted supply of these substances under adequately competitive conditions for legitimate medical, scientific, research, and industrial purposes;

Compliance with applicable State and local law;

Promotion of technical advances in the art of manufacturing these substances and the development of new substances;

Prior conviction record of applicant under Federal and State laws relating to the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of such substances;

Past experience in the manufacture of controlled substances, and the existence in the establishment of effective control against diversion;

That the applicant will be permitted to import only:

Such amounts of crude opium, poppy straw, concentrate of poppy straw, and coca leaves as the Administrator finds to be necessary to provide for medical, scientific, or other legitimate purposes; or

Such amounts of any controlled substances listed in Schedule I or II as the Administrator shall find to be necessary to provide for the medical, scientific, or other legitimate needs of the United States during an emergency in which domestic supplies of such substances are found by the Administrator to be inadequate; or

Such amounts of any controlled substance listed in Schedule I or II as the Administrator shall find to be necessary to provide for the medical, scientific, or other legitimate needs of the United States in any case in which the Administrator finds that competition among domestic manufacturers of the controlled substance is inadequate and will not be rendered adequate by the registration of additional manufacturers under section 303 of the Act (21 U.S.C. 823); or

Such limited quantities of any controlled substance listed in Schedule I or II as the Administrator shall find to be necessary for scientific, analytical or research uses; and

Such other factors as may be relevant to and consistent with the public health and safety.

In determining whether the applicant can and will maintain effective controls against diversion within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section, the Administrator shall consider among other factors:

Compliance with the security requirements set forth in §§ 1301.71-1301.76; and

Employment of security procedures to guard against in-transit losses.

In determining whether competition among the domestic manufacturers of a controlled substance is adequate within the meaning of paragraphs (b)(1) and (b)(6)(iii) of this section, as well as section 1002(a)(2)(B) of the Act (21 U.S.C. 952(a)(2)(B)), the Administrator shall consider:

The extent of price rigidity in the light of changes in:

raw materials and other costs and

conditions of supply and demand;

The extent of service and quality competition among the domestic manufacturers for shares of the domestic market including:

Shifts in market shares and

Shifts in individual customers among domestic manufacturers;

The existence of substantial differentials between domestic prices and the higher of prices generally prevailing in foreign markets or the prices at which the applicant for registration to import is committed to undertake to provide such products in the domestic market in conformity with the Act. In determining the existence of substantial differentials hereunder, appropriate consideration should be given to any additional costs imposed on domestic manufacturers by the requirements of the Act and such other cost-related and other factors as the Administrator may deem relevant. In no event shall an importer's offering prices in the United States be considered if they are lower than those prevailing in the foreign market or markets from which the importer is obtaining his/her supply;

The existence of competitive restraints imposed upon domestic manufacturers by governmental regulations; and

Such other factors as may be relevant to the determinations required under this paragraph.

In considering the scope of the domestic market, consideration shall be given to substitute products which are reasonably interchangeable in terms of price, quality and use.

The fact that the number of existing manufacturers is small shall not demonstrate, in and of itself, that adequate competition among them does not exist.