A BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States, will be conducted covering 2017. All legal authorities, provisions, definitions, and requirements contained in §§ 801.1 through 801.2 and §§ 801.4 through 801.6 are applicable to this survey. Specific additional rules and regulations for the BE-12 survey are given in paragraphs (a) through (e) of this section. More detailed instructions are given on the report forms and instructions.

Response required. A response is required from persons subject to the reporting requirements of the BE-12, Benchmark Survey of Foreign Direct Investment in the United States—2017, contained in this section, whether or not they are contacted by BEA. Also, a person, or their agent, contacted by BEA about reporting in this survey, either by sending them a report form or a written inquiry, must respond in writing pursuant to this section. This may be accomplished by filing a properly completed BE-12 report (BE-12A, BE-12B, BE-12C, or BE-12 Claim for Not Filing);

Who must report. A BE-12 report is required for each U.S. affiliate (except certain private funds as described below), that is, for each U.S. business enterprise in which a foreign person (foreign parent) owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, 10 percent or more of the voting securities in an incorporated U.S. business enterprise, or an equivalent interest in an unincorporated U.S. business enterprise, at the end of the business enterprise's fiscal year that ended in calendar year 2017. Certain private funds are exempt from reporting on the BE-12 survey. If a U.S. business meets ALL of the following 3 criteria, it is not required to file any BE-12 report except to indicate exemption from the survey if contacted by BEA: (1) The U.S. business enterprise is a private fund; (2) the private fund does not own, directly or indirectly through another business enterprise, an “operating company”—i.e., a business enterprise that is not a private fund or a holding company—in which the foreign parent owns at least 10 percent of the voting interest; AND (3) if the foreign parent owns the private fund indirectly (through one or more other U.S. business enterprises), there are no U.S. “operating companies” between the foreign parent and the indirectly-owned private fund.

Forms to be filed. (1) Form BE-12A must be completed by a U.S. affiliate that was majority-owned by one or more foreign parents (for purposes of this survey, a “majority-owned” U.S. affiliate is one in which the combined direct and indirect ownership interest of all foreign parents of the U.S. affiliate exceeds 50 percent) if, on a fully consolidated basis, or, in the case of real estate investment, on an aggregated basis, any one of the following three items for the U.S. affiliate (not just the foreign parent's share) was greater than $300 million (positive or negative) at the end of, or for, its fiscal year that ended in calendar year 2017:

Total assets (do not net out liabilities);

Sales or gross operating revenues, excluding sales taxes; or

Net income after provision for U.S. income taxes.

Form BE-12B must be completed by:

A majority-owned U.S. affiliate if, on a fully consolidated basis, or, in the case of real estate investment, on an aggregated basis, any one of the three items listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section (not just the foreign parent's share), was greater than $60 million (positive or negative) but none of these items was greater than $300 million (positive or negative) at the end of, or for, its fiscal year that ended in calendar year 2017.

A minority-owned U.S. affiliate (for purposes of this survey, a “minority-owned” U.S. affiliate is one in which the combined direct and indirect ownership interest of all foreign parents of the U.S. affiliate is 50 percent or less) if, on a fully consolidated basis, or, in the case of real estate investment, on an aggregated basis, any one of the three items listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section (not just the foreign parent's share), was greater than $60 million (positive or negative) at the end of, or for, its fiscal year that ended in calendar year 2017.

Form BE-12C must be completed by a U.S. affiliate if, on a fully consolidated basis, or, in the case of real estate investment, on an aggregated basis, none of the three items listed in paragraph (c)(1) of this section for a U.S. affiliate (not just the foreign parent's share), was greater than $60 million (positive or negative) at the end of, or for, its fiscal year that ended in calendar year 2017.

BE-12 Claim for Not Filing will be provided for response by persons that are not subject to the reporting requirements of the BE-12 survey but have been contacted by BEA concerning their reporting status.

Aggregation of real estate investments. All real estate investments of a foreign person must be aggregated for the purpose of applying the reporting criteria. A single report form must be filed to report the aggregate holdings, unless written permission has been received from BEA to do otherwise. Those holdings not aggregated must be reported separately on the same type of report that would have been required if the real estate holdings were aggregated.

Due date. A fully completed and certified Form BE-12A, BE-12B, BE-12C, or BE-12 Claim for Not Filing is due to be filed with BEA not later than May 31, 2018 (or by June 30, 2018 for reporting companies that use BEA's eFile system).