(a) An employer who has submitted an attestation which has been accepted for filing may withdraw such attestation at any time before the 12-month period of its validity terminates, unless the Administrator has found reasonable cause under subpart G to commence an investigation of the particular attestation. Such withdrawal may be advisable, for example, when the employer learns that the country in which the vessel is registered and of which nationals of such country hold a majority of the ownership interest in the vessel has been removed from the non-reciprocity list (which means, for purposes of this section, Prohibitions on longshore work by U.S. nationals; listing by country at 22 CFR 89.1). In that event, an attestation would no longer be required under subpart F of this part, since upon being removed from the non-reciprocity list the performance of longshore work by alien crewmembers would be permitted under the reciprocity exception at sec. 258(e) of the Act (8 U.S.C. 1288(e)). Requests for withdrawals shall be in writing and shall be directed to the Certifying Officer.

(b) Withdrawal of an attestation shall not affect an employer's liability with respect to any failure to meet the conditions attested to which took place before the withdrawal, or for misrepresentations in an attestation. However, if an employer has not yet performed the longshore activities at the location(s) in question, the Administrator shall not find reasonable cause to investigate unless it is alleged, and there is reasonable cause to believe, that the employer has made misrepresentations in the attestation or documentation thereof, or that the employer has not in fact given the notice attested to.