Swap Transaction Compliance and Implementation Schedule: Clearing and Trade Execution Requirements under Section 2(h) of the CEA, 58186-58197 [2011-24124]
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 182 / Tuesday, September 20, 2011 / Proposed Rules
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entities affected (whether registered or
unregistered) along with appropriate
compliance dates.
Such a schedule would have
complemented and informed existing
proposals and provided structure to future
determinations. Additionally, a proposal
regarding such a schedule should have
adequately analyzed the costs and benefits of
alternatives, including appropriate
quantification. Unfortunately, the two rule
proposals that the Commission approved
today fail to either propose a comprehensive
schedule or provide an adequate cost benefit
analysis.
The Commission’s proposals also fail to
request comment on a number of issues that
I believe are important considerations in
developing an implementation plan. As a
result, I am encouraging commenters to
submit responses to the questions below as
part of their comments on the two rule
proposals.
Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Clearing and
Trade Execution Requirements under Section
2(h) of the CEA
• Should the Commission provide
guidance on how it will make and
communicate a mandatory clearing
determination prior to considering the first
such determination? If so, what information
should be included in guidance?
• As section II(E) of the proposal states:
‘‘When issuing a mandatory clearing
determination, the Commission would set an
effective date by which all market
participants would have to comply. In other
words, the proposed compliance schedules
would be used only when the Commission
believes that phasing is necessary based on
the considerations outlined in this release.
The Commission will provide the public
with notice of its intent to rely upon the
compliance schedule pursuant to the process
outlined in § 39.5(b)(5).’’ To afford more
certainty to market participants, should the
Commission instead create a presumption
that it will rely on the compliance schedule
for each mandatory clearing determination
that it issues, unless it finds that the
compliance schedule is not necessary to
achieve the benefits set forth in the proposal
(e.g., facilitating the transition to the new
regulatory regime established by the DoddFrank Act in an orderly manner that does not
unduly disrupt markets and transactions)?
• What, if any, other issues not addressed
in current proposed or final rulemakings
should the Commission have taken into
consideration when proposing the
compliance schedule? For example, should
the Commission have considered the extent
to which its clearing and trade execution
requirements apply to entities and
transactions located outside the United
States? Also, should the Commission have
considered the extent to which such
requirements apply to transactions between
affiliates (whether domestic or cross-border)?
If applicable, how should the Commission
adjust the proposed compliance schedule to
account for such issues?
• What, if any, adjustments should the
Commission make to the proposed
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compliance schedule for trade execution
requirements if the Commission makes a
determination that a group, category, type, or
class of swaps, rather than a specific swap,
is subject to mandatory clearing? Would such
adjustments vary depending on the manner
in which the Commission defines group,
category, type, or class?
Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Trading
Documentation and Margining Requirements
Under Section 4s of the CEA
• What, if any, other issues not addressed
in current proposed or final rulemakings
should the Commission have taken into
consideration when proposing the
compliance schedule? For example, should
the Commission have considered the extent
to which its documentation and margin
requirements apply to entities and
transactions located outside the United
States? Also, should the Commission have
considered the extent to which such
requirements apply to transactions between
affiliates (whether domestic or cross-border)?
If applicable, how should the Commission
adjust the proposed compliance schedule to
account for such issues?
Finally, I want to be clear that I support
completing the final Dodd-Frank rulemakings
in a reasonable time frame. I believe that the
timely implementation of such rulemakings
is important. Knowing when and how the
markets are required to do what is vital to the
success of implementing the new market
structure required under the Dodd-Frank Act.
When billions of dollars are at stake, you
simply do not rely on guesses and estimates
based on vague conditions.
[FR Doc. 2011–24128 Filed 9–19–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6351–01–P
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
COMMISSION
17 CFR Parts 37, 38, and 39
RIN 3038–AD60
Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Clearing
and Trade Execution Requirements
under Section 2(h) of the CEA
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
AGENCY:
The Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (Commission or
CFTC) is proposing regulations that
would establish a schedule to phase in
compliance with certain new statutory
provisions enacted under Title VII of the
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank
Act). These provisions include the
clearing requirement under new section
2(h)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange
Act (CEA or Act), and the trade
execution requirement under new
section 2(h)(8)(A) of the CEA. The
SUMMARY:
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proposed schedules would provide
relief in the form of additional time for
compliance with these requirements.
This relief is intended to facilitate the
transition to the new regulatory regime
established by the Dodd-Frank Act in an
orderly manner that does not unduly
disrupt markets and transactions. The
Commission requests comment on the
proposed compliance schedules for
these clearing and trade execution
requirements.
Submit comments on or before
November 4, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments,
identified by RIN number 3038–AD60
and Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Clearing and
Trade Execution Requirements under
Section 2(h) of the CEA, by any of the
following methods:
• Agency Web site, via its Comments
Online process at https://
comments.cftc.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments
through the Web site.
• Mail: David A. Stawick, Secretary of
the Commission, Commodity Futures
Trading Commission, Three Lafayette
Centre, 1155 21st Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20581.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: Same as
mail above.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://
www.regulations.gov. Follow the
instructions for submitting comments.
Please submit your comments using
only one method.
All comments must be submitted in
English, or if not, accompanied by an
English translation. Comments will be
posted as received to https://
www.cftc.gov. You should submit only
information that you wish to make
available publicly. If you wish the
Commission to consider information
that may be exempt from disclosure
under the Freedom of Information Act,
a petition for confidential treatment of
the exempt information may be
submitted according to the established
procedures in § 145.9 of the
Commission’s regulations, 17 CFR
145.9.
The Commission reserves the right,
but shall have no obligation, to review,
pre-screen, filter, redact, refuse or
remove any or all of your submission
from https://www.cftc.gov that it may
deem to be inappropriate for
publication, such as obscene language.
All submissions that have been redacted
or removed that contain comments on
the merits of the rulemaking will be
retained in the public comment file and
will be considered as required under the
Administrative Procedure Act and other
DATES:
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applicable laws, and may be accessible
under the Freedom of Information Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Dhaval Patel, Counsel, Office of the
General Counsel, 202–418–5125,
dpatel@cftc.gov, or Camden Nunery,
Office of the Chief Economist,
cnunnery@cftc.gov, 202–418–5723,
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission, Three Lafayette Centre,
1155 21st Street, NW., Washington, DC
20581.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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I. Background
On July 21, 2010, President Obama
signed the Dodd-Frank Act.1 Title VII of
the Dodd-Frank Act amends the CEA 2
to establish a comprehensive new
regulatory framework for swaps. The
legislation was enacted to reduce risk,
increase transparency, and promote
market integrity within the financial
system by, among other things: (1)
Providing for the registration and
comprehensive regulation of swap
dealers and major swap participants; (2)
imposing clearing and trade execution
requirements on standardized derivative
products; (3) creating robust
recordkeeping and real-time reporting
regimes; and (4) enhancing the
rulemaking and enforcement authorities
of the Commission with respect to,
among others, all registered entities and
intermediaries subject to the
Commission’s oversight.
To implement the Dodd-Frank Act,
the Commission has to-date issued 55
advance notices of proposed rulemaking
or notices of proposed rulemaking, two
interim final rules, 12 final rules, and
one proposed interpretive order. By the
beginning of May 2011, the Commission
had published in the Federal Register a
significant number of notices of
proposed rulemaking, which
represented a substantially complete
mosaic of the Commission’s proposed
regulatory framework under Title VII of
the Dodd-Frank Act. In recognition of
that fact and with the goal of giving
market participants additional time to
comment on the proposed new
regulatory framework for swaps, either
in part or as a whole, the Commission
reopened or extended the comment
period of many of its proposed
rulemakings through June 3, 2011.3 In
total, the Commission has received over
1 See Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act, Public Law 111–203, 124
Stat. 1376 (2010).
2 7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.
3 See Reopening and Extension of Comment
Periods for Rulemakings Implementing the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act, 76 FR 25274, May 4, 2011.
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20,000 comments in response to its
Dodd-Frank Act rulemaking proposals.
To give the public an opportunity to
comment further on implementation
phasing, on May 2–3, 2011, the
Commission, along with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC), held
a joint, two-day roundtable on issues
related to implementation.4 In
connection with this roundtable,
Commission staff proposed thirteen
concepts to be considered regarding
implementation phasing, and staff asked
a series of questions based on the
concepts outlined.5 The Commission
received numerous comments in
response to both its roundtable and the
staff concepts and questions.6
These comments were submitted by a
number of existing and potential market
infrastructures, including
clearinghouses, trading platforms, and
swap data repositories. Comments also
were submitted by entities that may
potentially be swap dealers (SDs) or
major swap participants (MSPs), as well
as those financial entities that may not
be required to register with the
Commission, but whose swap
transactions may be required to comply
with the clearing requirement under
section 2(h)(1)(A) of the CEA, and a
trade execution requirement under
section 2(h)(8)(A) of the CEA. The
Commission also received many
comments from non-financial entities.
One of the key themes to emerge from
the comments received by the
Commission is that some market
participants may require more time to
bring their swap transactions into
compliance with certain new regulatory
requirements.7 For example, one
commenter requested a ‘‘meaningful’’
period after finalization of the suite of
rulemakings that is applicable to it
4 The transcripts from the roundtable are
available at https://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/
public/@newsroom/documents/file/
csjac_transcript050311.pdf (‘‘Day 1 Roundtable
Tr.’’) and https://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/
@newsroom/documents/file/
csjac_transcript050211.pdf (‘‘Day 2 Roundtable
Tr.’’).
5 See ‘‘CFTC Staff Concepts and Questions
Regarding Phased Implementation of Effective Dates
for Final Dodd-Frank Rules,’’ available at https://
www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@newsroom/
documents/file/staffconcepts050211.pdf.
6 Such comments are available at https://
comments.cftc.gov/PublicComments/
CommentList.aspx?id=1000.
7 E.g., Letter from Karrie McMillan, Investment
Company Institute, dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 8–11;
Letter from Financial Services Forum, Futures
Industry Association, International Swaps and
Derivatives Association, and Securities Industry
and Financial Markets Association, dated May 4,
2011 at 7–9; Letter from Jeff Gooch, MarkitSERV,
dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 1–2 and 6; Letter from
Electric Trade Association, dated May 4, 2011 at 5;
Letter from John R. Gidman, Association of
Institutional Investors, dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 3.
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before actual compliance will be
required.8 Similarly, several trade
associations recommended the
Commission allow ‘‘sufficient’’ time for
infrastructure and business practices to
develop before requiring compliance
with the new requirements.9 A group of
international banks commented that the
Commission should defer compliance
until December 31, 2012, at which point
the regulatory timetable as per the
September 2009 G20 Pittsburgh
statement will have reached a
conclusion.10 Another commenter noted
that some entities may be able to
comply relatively quickly with certain
documentation requirements that are
largely consistent with current business
practices while other requirements may
need a longer implementation period.11
Although commenters varied in their
recommendations regarding the time it
would take to bring their swaps into
compliance with the new regulatory
requirements,12 many commenters
agreed on phasing in compliance with
these requirements by type of market
participant based on a variety of factors,
including a market participant’s
experience, resources, and the size and
complexity of its transactions.13 The
Commission has taken these comments
into consideration in developing the
proposed compliance schedules.
The swap transaction compliance
requirements that are the subject of this
proposed rulemaking include
compliance with the clearing
requirement and the corresponding
trade execution requirement under
sections 2(h)(1)(A) and 2(h)(8)(A) of the
CEA, respectively.14 The Commission’s
8 Letter from the Coalition of Physical Energy
Companies, dated Mar. 14, 2011 at 4.
9 Letter from the Futures Industry Association,
the Financial Services Forum, the International
Swaps and Derivatives Association and the
Securities Industry and Financial Markets
Association, dated May 4, 2011 at 5.
10 Letter from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ,
Ltd., et al., dated May 6, 2011 at 6.
11 Letter from the Financial Services Roundtable,
dated May 12, 2011 at 4.
12 For example, Javelin stated that it could be
open for business and generally be in compliance
with the clearing and trade execution requirements
within 6 months. Day 1 Roundtable Tr. at 104–105.
Citadel suggested moving towards a voluntary
clearing launch between day 180 and day 240, and
eventually moving towards a mandatory clearing
date. Day 1 Roundtable Tr. at 73–74. Moreover, the
Swap Financial Group offered a different
perspective stating that it generally thought
implementation of Dodd-Drank could be
accomplished in a year or two. Day 2 Roundtable
Tr. at 269.
13 These comments are more fully discussed later
in the preamble.
14 The Commission also is proposing Swap
Transaction Compliance and Implementation
Schedule: Trade Documentation and Margining
Requirements under section 4s of the CEA.
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proposed compliance schedules are
designed to afford affected market
participants a reasonable amount of
time to bring their transactions into
compliance with such requirements.
The proposed schedules also would
provide relief in the form of additional
time for compliance with these
transaction compliance requirements
and are further explained below.15 This
relief is intended to facilitate the
transition to the new regulatory regime
established by the Dodd-Frank Act in an
orderly manner that does not unduly
disrupt markets and transactions.
II. Proposed Regulation
A. Authority to Implement Proposed
Regulations
In this Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, the Commission relies on
its general authority to establish
compliance dates with the rules and
regulations enacted pursuant to the
Dodd-Frank Act. Section 712(f) also
authorizes the Commission to
promulgate rules to prepare for the
effective dates of the provisions of the
Dodd-Frank Act.16 In addition, the
Commission relies on section 8(a)(5) of
the CEA, which authorizes the
Commission to promulgate such
regulations as, in the judgment of the
Commission, are reasonably necessary
to effectuate any of the provisions or to
accomplish any of the purposes of the
CEA. In accordance with this authority,
the proposed regulations would amend
parts 37, 38, and 39 of the Commission’s
regulations to phase in compliance
dates for the clearing and trade
execution requirements under section
2(h) of the CEA.
B. Implementation Phasing of the
Clearing Requirement under Section
2(h)(1)
1. Background on Mandatory Clearing
Determinations
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Section 723(a)(3) of the Dodd-Frank
Act amended the CEA to provide, under
new section 2(h)(1)(A), that ‘‘it shall be
unlawful for any person to engage in a
swap unless that person submits such
swap for clearing to a derivatives
15 The proposed compliance schedules do not
address the effective dates of the clearing and trade
execution requirements in the Dodd-Frank Act,
including the application of the Commission’s
Effective Date Order to such requirements. See
Effective Date for Swap Regulation, 76 FR 42508,
Jul. 19, 2011.
16 Section 712(f) of the Dodd-Frank Act states:
‘‘Beginning on the date of enactment of this Act and
notwithstanding the effective date of any provision
of this Act, the [Commission] * * * may, in order
to prepare for the effective dates of the provisions
of this Act—(1) promulgate rules, regulations, or
orders permitted or required by this Act * * *.’’
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clearing organization that is registered
under this Act or a derivatives clearing
organization that is exempt from
registration under this Act if the swap
is required to be cleared.’’ 17 Section
2(h)(2) charges the Commission with the
responsibility for determining whether a
swap is required to be cleared, through
one of two avenues: (1) Pursuant to a
Commission-initiated review; or (2)
pursuant to a submission from a
derivatives clearing organization (DCO)
of each swap, or any group, category,
type, or class of swaps that the DCO
‘‘plans to accept for clearing.’’ 18
On July 26, 2011, the Commission
published in the Federal Register a final
rule regarding the process for review of
swaps for mandatory clearing.19 Under
§ 39.5(b)(6), the Commission will review
a DCO’s submission and determine
whether the swap, or group, category,
type, or class of swaps, described in the
submission is required to be cleared.
This determination will be made not
later than 90 days after a complete
submission has been received from a
DCO, unless the submitting DCO agrees
to an extension. Under § 39.5(c),
Commission-initiated reviews of swaps
that have not been accepted for clearing
by a DCO will take place on an ongoing
basis. However, as explained in the
preamble to the final rule, the
‘‘Commission anticipates that the initial
mandatory clearing determinations
would only involve swaps that are
already being cleared or that a DCO
wants to clear.’’ 20
Because the Commission initially will
consider mandatory clearing
determinations based on those swaps
that DCOs are currently clearing or that
a DCO would like to clear, the initial
sequence of mandatory clearing
determinations will be based on the
market’s view of which swaps can be
cleared and which asset classes are
ready for clearing, as reflected by the
fact that a DCO is either currently
clearing a group, category, type, or class
of swaps or is intending to do so. For
example, multiple registered DCOs
currently clear interest rate, credit, and
commodity swaps. For these swaps, the
Commission will begin the review
17 Section 2(h)(7) of the CEA provides an
exception to the clearing requirement (‘‘the enduser exception’’) when one of the counterparties to
a swap (i) Is not a financial entity, (ii) is using the
swap to hedge or mitigate commercial risk, and (iii)
notifies the Commission how it generally meets its
financial obligations associated with entering into
a non-cleared swap.
18 Under section 2(h)(2)(B)(ii), the Commission
must consider swaps listed for clearing by a DCO
as of the date of enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act.
19 76 FR 44464, Jul. 26, 2011.
20 76 FR at 44469.
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process for issuing mandatory clearing
determinations in the near term.
The Commission observes that before
market participants could be required to
comply with a mandatory clearing
determination, the Commission must
adopt its final rules related to the enduser exception to mandatory clearing
established by section 2(h)(7) of the
CEA. In December 2010, the
Commission proposed rules governing
this elective exception to mandatory
clearing.21 The proposed rule generally
provides that a swap otherwise subject
to mandatory clearing is subject to an
elective exception from clearing if one
party to the swap is not a financial
entity, is using swaps to hedge or
mitigate commercial risk, and notifies
the Commission how it generally meets
its financial obligations associated with
entering into non-cleared swaps (the
‘‘end-user clearing exception’’).22
Because this proposed rule would
establish the process by which a nonfinancial entity would elect not to clear
a swap subject to a clearing
requirement, this rule would need to be
finalized prior to requiring compliance
with a mandatory clearing
determination.
In addition, the Commission
recognizes that the swap transaction
compliance schedules that are the
subject of this proposal reference terms
such as ‘‘swap,’’ ‘‘swap dealer,’’ and
‘‘major swap participant’’ that are the
subject of rulemaking under sections
712(d)(1) and 721(c) of the Dodd-Frank
Act.23 The Commission and the SEC
have proposed rules that would further
define each of these terms.24 As such,
21 End-User Exception to Mandatory Clearing of
Swaps, 75 FR 80747, Dec. 23, 2010.
22 75 FR at 80748.
23 Section 712(d)(1) provides: ‘‘Notwithstanding
any other provision of this title and subsections (b)
and (c), the Commodity Futures Trading
Commission and the Securities and Exchange
Commission, in consultation with the Board of
Governors [of the Federal Reserve System], shall
further define the terms ‘swap’, ‘security-based
swap’, ‘swap dealer’, ‘security-based swap dealer’,
‘major swap participant’, ‘major security-based
swap participant’, and ‘security-based swap
agreement’ in section 1a(47)(A)(v) of the
Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(47)(A)(v))
and section 3(a)(78) of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(78)).’’ Section 721(c)
provides: ‘‘To include transactions and entities that
have been structured to evade this subtitle (or an
amendment made by this subtitle), the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission shall adopt a rule to
further define the terms ‘swap’, ‘swap dealer’,
‘major swap participant’, and ‘eligible contract
participant’.’’
24 Further Definition of ‘‘Swap Dealer,’’
‘‘Security-Based Swap Dealer,’’ ‘‘Major Swap
Participant,’’ ‘‘Major Security-Based Swap
Participant,’’ and ‘‘Eligible Contract Participant’’;
Proposed Rule, 75 FR 80174, Dec. 21, 2010 and
Further Definition of ‘‘Swap,’’ ‘‘Security-Based
Swap,’’ and ‘‘Security-Based Swap Agreement’’;
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and in a manner consistent with the
temporary relief provided in the
Commission’s Effective Date Order,25
the Commission must adopt its final
rules regarding the further definitions in
question prior to requiring compliance
with a mandatory clearing
determination.26
Lastly, the Commission notes that it
has yet to adopt final rules relating to
the protection of cleared swaps
customer contracts and collateral. These
rules are essential for establishing the
customer protection regime associated
with client clearing for swaps through
Commission-registered futures
commission merchants (FCMs) at
DCOs.27 The Commission believes that
finalizing the rules regarding the
segregation of customer collateral prior
to requiring compliance with a
mandatory clearing determination is
necessary to effectuate the purposes of
new section 4d(f) of the CEA.
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2. Compliance Schedule for Clearing
Requirement—§ 39.5(e)
Proposed § 39.5(e) would provide the
Commission with the authority to phase
in compliance with a clearing
requirement upon issuance of a
mandatory clearing determination. The
proposed compliance schedule is based
on the type of market participants
entering into the swaps subject to the
clearing requirement. The triggering
event for the application of this
compliance schedule would be the
Commission’s issuance of a
determination that the swap, or group,
category, type, or class of swaps, is
required to be cleared.28
In proposing phased implementation
schedules for the clearing requirement,
the Commission seeks to balance several
goals. First, the Commission believes
that certain market participants may
require additional time to bring their
swaps into compliance with the new
regulatory requirement for mandatory
Mixed Swaps; Security-Based Swap Agreement
Recordkeeping, 76 FR 29818, May 23, 2011.
25 See Effective Date for Swap Regulation, 76 FR
42508, Jul. 19, 2011.
26 Notably, under section 712(f) of the DoddFrank Act, these definitions would not have to be
finalized for the Commission to review swap
submissions from DCOs.
27 Protection of Cleared Swaps Customer
Contracts and Collateral; Conforming Amendments
to the Commodity Broker Bankruptcy Provisions, 76
FR 33818, Jun. 9, 2011.
28 See discussion below at p. 21 and above at p.
7. It would be possible for the Commission to issue
a mandatory clearing determination but postpone
the overall compliance date for all market
participants for some period of time. Additionally,
market participants may begin clearing their swap
transactions as soon as a DCO begins accepting such
swaps for clearing, regardless of whether the
Commission determines that such swaps are
required to be cleared.
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clearing of a swap or class of swaps.
This is particularly true for market
participants that may not be registered
with the Commission and those market
participants that may have hundreds or
thousands of managed accounts,
referred to as ‘‘third-party subaccounts’’
for the purposes of this proposal. Under
this proposal, these parties would be
afforded additional time to document
new client clearing arrangements,
connect to market infrastructure such as
DCOs, and prepare themselves and their
customers for the new regulatory
requirements. As one commenter noted,
‘‘[i]n the context of asset managers, the
account set up process has to be
multiplied over hundreds of
subaccounts. Processing all of these
subaccounts will take time even for the
largest and most technologically
advanced asset managers.’’ 29
Moreover, several commenters
emphasized the need to have adequate
time to educate their clients regarding
the new regulatory requirements.30 For
instance, market participants not
registered with the Commission may not
be familiar with the new regulatory
requirements. In addition, market
participants with third-party
subaccounts would have to educate
additional clients. Accordingly, both
types of participants should be given
additional time to prepare for
compliance with the new requirements.
Another goal of the proposed
compliance schedule is to have
adequate representation of market
participants involved at the outset of
implementing a new mandatory clearing
regime for swaps. The Commission
believes that having a cross-section of
market participants involved at the
outset of formulating and designing the
rules and infrastructure under which
mandatory clearing is implemented will
best meet the needs of all market
participants.
Several commenters have
recommended that the Commission take
such an approach. For example, one
commenter emphasized the importance
of the initiation of so-called ‘‘buy-side’’
clearing access for credit default swaps
in 2009 and recommended that ‘‘[a]t the
time that a class of products is ready for
clearing, all market participants
(including buy-side participants) should
be permitted (but not required) to clear
29 Letter from Karrie McMillan, Investment
Company Institute, dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 9–10.
30 See Letter from Financial Services Forum,
Futures Industry Association, International Swaps
and Derivatives Association, and Securities
Industry Association, dated May 4, 2011 at 9; Letter
from Karrie McMillan, Investment Company
Institute, dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 10–11.
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58189
those products * * *.’’ 31 In another
example, one commenter recommended
that in phasing mandatory clearing the
Commission should aim for open access
to establish an ‘‘all to all market’’ with
both sides of the trade involved with the
initial implementation.32 In further
response to these comments, the
Commission notes that market
participants can begin (and continue)
voluntarily clearing swaps through
eligible DCOs at any time.
C. Implementation Phasing of the Trade
Execution Requirement Under Section
2(h)(8)
1. Background on Trade Execution
Requirement
Section 723 of the Dodd Frank Act
amended the CEA to provide, under
new section 2(h)(8)(A), that with respect
to a swap that is subject to the clearing
requirement of section 2(h)(1)(A),
‘‘counterparties shall (i) execute the
transaction on a board of trade
designated as a contract market under
section 5 [a DCM]; or (ii) execute the
transaction on a swap execution facility
[SEF] registered under section 5h or a
swap execution facility exempt from
registration under section 5h(f) of this
Act.’’ Under section 2(h)(8)(B), the only
exceptions to the trade execution
requirement are if no DCM or SEF
‘‘makes the swap available to trade’’ or
the swap is subject to the clearing
exception under section 2(h)(7) (i.e., the
end-user exception).33
Based on the natural phasing
provided for in the statute, a trade
execution requirement is triggered for a
swap when (1) The Commission has
issued a determination that the swap is
required to be cleared and (2) any DCM
or SEF has made the swap available to
trade.34
The Commission observes that before
market participants could be required to
comply with a trade execution
requirement the Commission must
adopt final rules related to SEFs and
DCMs. The Commission has proposed
rules related to the new core principles
for DCMs and the changes to the 18
original DCM core principles.35 While
31 Letter from Richard H. Baker, Managed Funds
Association, dated Mar. 24, 2011 at Appendix 1,
page 1 and Appendix 2, page 2.
32 Letter from Chris Koppenheffer, Swaps &
Derivatives Market Association, dated Jun. 1, 2011
at 2.
33 Section 2(h)(1)(B).
34 This rulemaking does not address the manner
in which it may be determined or established that
a DCM or a SEF has made a swap available for
trading.
35 Core Principles and Other Requirements for
Designated Contract Markets, 75 FR 80572, Dec. 22,
2010.
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none of the new rules proposed for
DCMs relate directly to the trade
execution requirement under section
2(h)(8), the Commission believes that it
is necessary for DCMs to have their new
policies, procedures, and rulebooks in
place prior to the DCMs making a swap
available for trading.
With regard to SEFs, the Commission
also observes that it would have to
adopt final rules allowing for SEF
registration, including procedures for
provisional registration, prior to any
SEF making a swap that is required to
be cleared available for trading.36 The
finalization of these rules would enable
SEFs to register with the Commission
and ensure that they have developed
their new policies, procedures, and
rulebooks.
2. Compliance Schedule for the Trading
Execution Requirement—§§ 37.12 and
38.11
Proposed regulations §§ 37.12 and
38.11 provide for the phased
implementation of a trade execution
requirement by setting forth a
compliance schedule tied to the
schedule proposed for the clearing
requirement.
The proposed compliance schedules
for the trade execution requirement
would be triggered upon the later of (1)
The applicable deadline established
under the compliance schedule for the
associated clearing mandate; or (2) 30
days after the swap is made available for
trading on either a SEF or a DCM.
Consequently, market participants
always will have at least thirty days
after a DCM or SEF has made a swap
available for trading to comply with a
trade execution requirement. Prior to a
Commission-issued mandatory clearing
determination, both DCMs and SEFs
would be permitted to offer swaps for
trading by market participants on a
voluntarily basis. However, those swaps
would not be required to be traded on
a DCM or SEF, pursuant to section
2(h)(8) of the CEA until the associated
clearing requirement took effect.
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D. Three-Part Implementation Phasing
The Commission proposes
compliance schedules for phasing
implementation that afford relief in the
form of additional time for compliance
with any clearing requirement or trade
execution requirement by category of
36 Core Principles and other Requirements for
Swap Execution Facilities, 76 FR 1214, Jan. 7, 2011.
As part of the SEF rulemaking, the Commission
proposed regulation § 37.10, which would require
each SEF to conduct an annual review of whether
it has made a swap available for trading and to
provide a report to the Commission regarding its
assessment. Id. at 1222 and 1241.
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market participant. The Commission
based its proposed categorization of
entities on the definition of ‘‘financial
entity’’ in section 2(h)(7)(C) of the
CEA.37 Under this statutory provision,
Congress identified financial entities
that would not be eligible to claim an
exception from a clearing requirement
under section 2(h)(1) of the CEA.
Phase 1—Category 1 Entities
The proposed compliance schedule
would define ‘‘Category 1 Entities’’ to
include a swap dealer, a security-based
swap dealer, a major swap participant,
a major security-based swap participant,
or an active fund.
Category 1 Entities include those
dealers and major participants in the
swap and security-based swap markets
that will be registered with the
Commission or the Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC).38 Title VII
of the Dodd-Frank Act requires these
market participants to register with
either the CFTC or SEC as a result of
their swaps or security-based swaps
activities. Based on their level of market
experience and based on their status as
registrants with either the CFTC or the
SEC, the Commission believes they
should be capable of complying with a
clearing requirement and a trade
execution requirement sooner than
other market participants and that 90
days is a reasonable timeframe for these
entities to come into compliance with
these requirements.
The Commission also is proposing to
include those entities it defines as
‘‘active funds’’ in the first category of
market participants. The proposed
definition of ‘‘active fund’’ would mean
‘‘any private fund as defined in section
202(a) of the Investment Advisors Act of
1940, that is not a third-party
subaccount and that executes 20 or
more swaps per month based on a
37 CEA section 2(h)(7)(A)(i) limits availability of
the end-user clearing exception to counterparties to
the swap that are not a financial entity. The term
financial entity is defined in CEA section
2(h)(7)(C)(i), and includes the following eight
entities: (i) A swap dealer; (ii) a security-based swap
dealer; (iii) a major swap participant; (iv) a major
security-based swap participant; (v) a commodity
pool as defined in CEA section 1a(10); (vi) a private
fund as defined in section 202(a) of the Investment
Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b–2(a)); (vii) an
employee benefit plan as defined in paragraphs (3)
and (32) of section 3 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002); or
(viii) a person predominantly engaged in activities
that are in the business of banking or financial in
nature, as defined in section 4(k) of the Bank
Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1843(k)).
38 If a security-based swap dealer or a major
security-based swap participant is not yet required
to register with the SEC at such time as the
Commission issues mandatory clearing
determination, then the security-based swap dealer
or a major security-based swap participant would
be treated as a Category 2 Entity.
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monthly average over the 12 months
preceding the Commission issuing a
mandatory clearing determination under
section 2(h)(2) of the Act.’’39
The Commission is relying on the
definition of private fund from section
2(h)(7)(C) of the CEA, as well as section
402 of the Dodd-Frank Act. However,
the Commission is limiting the
definition in two ways. First, the
definition excludes third-party
subaccounts, as discussed further
below. Second, the definition is limited
to those private funds that execute 20 or
more swaps per month based on the
average over the 12 months preceding
the Commission’s issuance of a
mandatory clearing determination.40 In
choosing this threshold, the
Commission’s goal was to ensure the
involvement of a cross-section of market
participants at the outset of both
clearing and trading requirement
implementation. The Commission also
sought to address some commenters’
concerns regarding adequate ‘‘buy-side’’
representation early in the mandatory
clearing process. Based on a preliminary
assessment, the Commission believes
the proposed numerical threshold for
active funds is appropriate because a
private fund that conducts this volume
of swaps would be likely to have: (1)
Sufficient resources to enter into
arrangements that comply with the
clearing and trade execution
requirement earlier than other types of
market participants; and (2) sufficient
market experience to contribute
meaningfully to the ‘‘buy-side’’
perspective as industry standards are
being developed.41 In defining ‘‘active
fund’’ accordingly, the Commission
believes it has included those market
participants that are likely to be among
the most experienced participants with
expertise and resources needed to come
into transaction compliance quickly.
The Commission proposes to phase in
compliance with the mandatory clearing
requirement for any swap transaction
between a Category 1 Entity and another
Category 1 Entity, or any other entity
39 It should be noted that many commodity pools
meet the definition of private fund under section
202(a) of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940. Such
a commodity pool would only be a Category 1
Entity if it met the other criteria of an active fund.
40 In calculating the numerical threshold, the
Commission intends for funds to calculate all swaps
it executes not just those that are the subject of a
mandatory clearing determination.
41 The Commission is unaware of any positionlevel or transaction-level data on private fund swap
activity in a publicly available form. In order to
determine private fund activity levels, the staff
consulted with academics focusing their research in
this area, with industry participants, and with
groups that represent the industry.
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that desires to clear the transaction 42
within the first 90 days after the
Commission issues any mandatory
clearing determination. With respect to
the trade execution requirement, the
Commission proposes to phase in
compliance with this requirement either
at the same time as the clearing
requirement or thirty days after the
swap is made available for trading,
whichever is later. The Commission
proposes phasing in all Category 1
Entities first because these market
participants are likely to be the most
active and experienced market
participants whose involvement in the
early stages of building and rolling out
the clearing and trading requirements is
critical. The Commission is attempting
to include in this category those market
participants with the expertise and
resources to implement mandatory
clearing and trading most quickly. The
Commission also believes Category 1
Entities likely will have the most
existing connectivity to clearinghouses
and trading platforms and would be able
to come into compliance sooner than
other categories of participants.
Phase 2—Category 2 Entities
The proposed compliance schedule
would define ‘‘Category 2 Entities’’ to
include a commodity pool; a private
fund as defined in section 202(a) of the
Investment Advisors Act of 1940 other
than an active fund; an employee
benefit plan as defined in paragraphs (3)
and (32) of section 3 of the Employee
Retirement Income and Security Act of
1974; or a person predominantly
engaged in activities that are in the
business of banking, or in activities that
are financial in nature as defined in
section 4(k) of the Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, provided that the
entity is not a third-party subaccount.
The Commission proposes to phase in
compliance for swap transactions
between a Category 2 Entity and
Category 1 Entity, another Category 2
Entity, or any other entity that desires
to clear the transaction.43 The
Commission is proposing to afford swap
transactions between these types of
market participants 180 days to come
into compliance with a clearing
requirement. With respect to the trade
execution requirement, the Commission
proposes to phase in compliance with
this requirement either at the same time
as the clearing requirement or thirty
42 The intent of this clause is to facilitate clearing
by counterparties that desire to comply with a
clearing mandate earlier than they would otherwise
be required to under the compliance schedule. The
Commission solicits comment on whether there
would be a better way to accomplish this objective.
43 See footnote 42.
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days after the swap is made available for
trading, whichever is later. In providing
these market participants an additional
90 days to come into compliance, the
Commission took into consideration the
fact that Category 2 Entities may not be
required to be registered with the
Commission and may be less
experienced and less frequent users of
the swap markets than those in
Category 1.
Additionally, Category 2 Entities may
not have the same level of expertise and
resources to bring their swaps into
compliance with a clearing requirement
as quickly as Category 1 Entities. As
defined for purposes of these
compliance schedules, Category 2
Entities do not include those financial
entities that are third-party subaccounts,
as described further below.
Phase 3—Third-Party Subaccounts and
all Other Swap Transactions
Finally, the Commission proposes to
phase in compliance for all other swap
transactions not excepted from the
mandatory clearing requirement within
270 days after the Commission issues a
clearing requirement. The Commission
proposes to phase in compliance with
the trade execution requirement either
at the same time as the clearing
requirement or thirty days after the
swap is made available for trading,
whichever is later.
The Commission proposes to include
all entities that are third-party
subaccounts in this 270-day period.
This approach would give these entities
the most time to bring their swaps into
compliance because they are likely to
require the most time for
documentation, coordination, and
management. A third-party subaccount
is afforded 270 days to bring its swaps
into compliance because its portfolio is
managed by an asset manager that may
have to bring numerous accounts into
compliance. The Commission also
proposes to include any other swap
transaction that would be subject to a
clearing requirement into compliance
within this proposed 270-day period.
Under the Commission’s proposed
definition, a third-party subaccount
would be a managed account that
requires specific approval by the
beneficial owner of the account to
execute documentation necessary for
executing, confirming, margining, or
clearing swaps. By way of non-exclusive
example, if investment management
firm X manages the assets of pension
fund Y, and does so in a separate
account that requires the approval of
pension fund Y to execute necessary
documentation, then that account
would be afforded 270 days to come
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58191
into compliance. On the other hand, if
pension fund Y manages its own assets,
it would fall within Category 2 and be
afforded 180 days to come into
compliance. Likewise, if investment
management firm X does not manage
the assets of third parties, then it would
fall within Category 2.
The Commission is proposing to
afford third-party subaccounts an
additional 90 days beyond the 180 days
proposed for Category 2 because such
entities may have documentation
obligations for hundreds or even
thousands of third-party subaccounts,
and each such account must meet the
mandatory clearing and trading
requirements. For example, according to
a statement made during the Joint SEC–
CFTC Roundtable by Mr. William
DeLeon of the firm Pacific Investment
Management Company, LLC (PIMCO),
PIMCO manages hundreds of third-party
subaccounts, as defined above.44 The
proposed compliance schedules would
not prohibit any type of market
participant from voluntarily complying
sooner than the compliance deadline.
Indeed, the Commission would
encourage market participants that can
come into compliance more quickly to
move their swaps into clearing and
begin trading on trading platforms as
soon as possible in order to facilitate
development of infrastructure that takes
into account the views of many types of
market participants. As one commenter
noted, ‘‘Smaller entities, for example,
may have unique issues that need to be
accounted for before systems are
hardwired. Many swap market
participants are small entities; it is
important to ensure that these entities
and their liquidity are not squeezed out
of the swaps market.’’ 45
E. Prospective Application of
Compliance Schedules
The Commission anticipates that it
will exercise its authority to trigger the
proposed compliance schedules each
time it issues a mandatory clearing
determination for a new group, category,
type, or class of swaps. Under this
approach, when a DCO begins offering
a new swap for clearing and it is in the
same group, category, type, or class of
swaps and it meets the requirements
imposed under a previously issued
mandatory clearing determination, then
the proposed compliance schedules
would not be triggered. However, if the
Commission issues a mandatory
clearing determination in any entirely
new group, category, type, or class of
44 Day
2 Roundtable Tr. at 62.
Company Institute, Jun. 10, 2011
letter, at 12.
45 Investment
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swaps then the compliance schedules
could once again be triggered by the
Commission. For example, if the
Commission issues a mandatory
clearing determination for 5 year credit
default swap products and a new 5 year
credit default swap product is offered
for clearing based on a new 5 year
index, then the proposed compliance
schedules may not be triggered. If on the
other hand, the Commission has not
issued a mandatory clearing
determination for 10 year credit default
swap products and a new 10 year credit
default swap product is offered for
clearing, then the compliance schedules
could be triggered by the Commission.
When issuing a mandatory clearing
determination, the Commission would
set an effective date by which all market
participants would have to comply. In
other words, the proposed compliance
schedules would be used only when the
Commission believes that phasing is
necessary based on the considerations
outlined in this release. The
Commission will provide the public
with notice of its intent to rely upon the
compliance schedule pursuant to the
process outlined in § 39.5(b)(5).
The Commission solicits comment on
the ongoing usefulness of the proposed
compliance schedules once market
participants have established
documentation and connectivity to
DCOs, DCMs, and SEFs.
F. Comment Requested
The Commission requests comment
on all aspects of the proposed
compliance schedules, §§ 37.12, 38.11
and 39.5(e). The Commission may
consider alternatives to the proposed
compliance schedules and is requesting
comment on the following questions:
• What, if any, other rules should
have been taken into consideration
when proposing an implementation
schedule regarding the clearing and
trade execution requirements? If
applicable, how should the
implementation requirements of those
other rules be taken into consideration?
• Should there be a presumption that
the Commission will rely on the
compliance schedule for each
mandatory clearing determination that it
issues, unless the Commission finds that
the compliance schedule is not
necessary to achieve the benefits set
forth herein (e.g., facilitating the
transition to the new regulatory
requirement established by the DoddFrank Act in an orderly manner that
does not unduly disrupt markets and
transactions)?
• What factors, if any, would prevent
an entity in any of the proposed
categories from adhering to the
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compliance schedules proposed by the
Commission? How much additional
time would be needed to address these
factors?
• Are there other considerations that
the Commission should have taken into
account when designing this tiered
implementation schedule? Are the
timeframes outlined in this
implementation schedule adequate? If
not, what alternative schedule should
the Commission consider, and why?
• Assuming a situation where a swap
first becomes subject to the clearing
requirement and then is made available
for trading by a DCM or SEF, is an
additional thirty days after the swap
becomes made available for trading
enough time for DCMs, SEFs, and
market participants to come into
compliance with the trade execution
requirement? For example, would thirty
days be sufficient for the needed
technological linkages to be established
between (i) the DCOs, DCMs, and SEFs
and (ii) the DCMs, SEFs, and market
participants.
• What other entities, if any, should
be included in Category 1 or 2, and
why? Should any entities be moved
from Category 1 or 2 to a later category?
For example, where should the
Commission place those entities
described in section 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) of the
CEA (e.g., small banks, savings
associations, farm credit system
institutions, and credit unions)?
• What adjustments to the
compliance schedule and/or other steps
could the Commission take to ensure
there is adequate representation from all
market participants at the outset of
clearing and trade execution
requirements?
• In suggesting phasing in
transactions between Category 1 or 2
Entities and ‘‘any other entity that
desires to clear the transaction,’’ the
Commission intended to facilitate
clearing by counterparties that desire to
comply with a clearing mandate earlier
than they would otherwise be required
to under the compliance schedule. Is
there a better way to achieve this
objective?
• Is an entity’s average monthly swap
transaction activity a useful proxy for
that entity’s ability to comply with the
clearing and trade execution
requirements? Or whether an entity is
required to be registered with the
Commission (rather than whether an
entity is already registered with the
Commission)?
• Is the Commission’s definition of
‘‘active fund’’ overly inclusive or underinclusive? Should the numerical
threshold for number of monthly swap
transactions be higher or lower than 20?
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If so, why? Should the number of
monthly swap transactions be linked to
swap activity in a particular asset class?
• Should the Commission exclude
from the definition of ‘‘active fund’’ any
investment advisor of private funds
acting solely as an advisor to private
funds with assets under management in
the United States of less than
$150,000,000, as provided for in the
reporting exemption for private funds
under section 408 of the Dodd-Frank
Act?
• Would it be more appropriate for
the Commission to measure a market
participant’s level of swap activity by
measuring notional turnover and/or
open exposure, as suggested by some
commenters? 46
• Are there any anticompetitive
implications to the proposed
compliance schedules? If so, how could
the proposed rules be implemented to
achieve the purposes of the CEA in a
less anticompetitive manner? If so,
please quantify those costs, if possible,
and provide underlying data sources,
assumptions and calculations.
• Are there additional costs or
benefits associated with the current
proposal that the Commission has not
already taken into account? Please
discuss any such costs in detail and
quantify in dollar terms, if possible.
• Are there any assumptions,
including quantitative assumptions,
underlying the Commission’s cost
benefit analysis that the Commission
should consider?
• Should the Commission consider an
alternative implementation schedule?
Would such an alternative schedule
reduce the costs market participants
bear? Please describe any such
alternative implementation schedule in
detail, including how it will reduce
costs and the benefits it will likely
deliver. If possible, please quantify the
cost and benefits associated with any
alternative. If providing dollar values,
please describe any data sources,
assumptions, and calculations used to
generate them.
III. Related Matters
A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act
requires that agencies consider whether
the rules they propose will have a
significant economic impact on a
substantial number of small entities
and, if so, provide a regulatory
flexibility analysis respecting the
impact.47 The rules proposed by the
CFTC provide compliance schedules for
46 Letter from Adam C. Cooper, Citadel, dated
June 3, 2011, Appendix B.
47 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
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certain new statutory requirements of
the Dodd Frank Act and do not by
themselves impose significant new
regulatory requirements. Accordingly,
the Chairman, on behalf of the CFTC,
hereby certifies pursuant to 5 U.S.C.
605(b) that the proposed rules will not
have a significant economic impact on
a substantial number of small entities.
The CFTC invites public comment on
this determination.
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B. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act
(PRA) 48 imposes certain requirements
on federal agencies (including the
Commission) in connection with
conducting or sponsoring any collection
of information as defined by the PRA.
This notice of proposed rulemaking, if
approved, would not require a new
collection of information from any
persons or entities.
C. Consideration of Costs and Benefits
Section 15(a) of the CEA 49 requires
the Commission to consider the costs
and benefits of its action before
promulgating a regulation under the
CEA. Section 15(a) of the CEA specifies
that the costs and benefits shall be
evaluated in light of five broad areas of
market and public concern: (1)
Protection of market participants and
the public; (2) efficiency,
competitiveness and financial integrity
of futures markets; (3) price discovery;
(4) sound risk management practices;
and (5) other public interest
considerations. The Commission may in
its discretion give greater weight to any
one of the five enumerated areas and
could in its discretion determine that,
notwithstanding its costs, a particular
regulation is necessary or appropriate to
protect the public interest or to
effectuate any of the provisions or
accomplish any of the purposes of the
Act.
The purpose of the proposed
compliance schedules is to afford
market participants adequate time to
comply with the clearing requirement
under section 2(h)(1)(A) of the CEA and
the trade execution requirements under
section 2(h)(8). Without the proposed
compliance schedules, market
participants could be required to
comply with the clearing requirement
immediately upon issuance of a
mandatory clearing determination by
the Commission, and market
participants could be required to
comply with the trade execution
requirement when (1) The Commission
has issued a determination that the
48 44
49 7
U.S.C. 3507(d).
U.S.C. 19(a).
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swap is required to be cleared and (2)
any DCM or SEF has made the swap
available to trade.
The Commission recognizes that
requiring such immediate compliance
with the clearing and trade execution
requirements may impose costs on
market participants, particularly for
market participants that may not be
registered with the Commission and
those market participants that have
hundreds or thousands of third-party
subaccounts to bring into compliance
with the new requirements under
section 2(h) of the CEA.50 Accordingly,
the Commission’s proposal provides
substantial benefits in that it affords
market participants additional time to
document new clearing arrangements,
connect to market infrastructures, and
prepare themselves and their customers
for the new regulatory requirements.
The Commission believes that such an
approach will help protect the public
interest by facilitating an orderly
transition to a new regulatory
environment.
1. Protection of Market Participants and
the Public
In devising the proposed compliance
schedules, the Commission sought to
balance the goal of protecting the public
by bringing market participants into
compliance with the clearing and trade
execution requirements for swaps as
quickly as possible while affording
market participants adequate time to
come into compliance.
Market participants in Category 1
(e.g., SDs, MSPs, and active funds) are
likely to be among the most experienced
and active participants with the
resources needed to come into
compliance with the clearing and
trading requirements more quickly.51
The swaps entered into by these market
participants are likely to represent a
significant portion of the total swap
market volume. As a result, moving
these transactions into central clearing
and onto trading platforms before those
of Category 2 and 3 Entities would
provide additional protection for the
public by ensuring that the most active
participants in the swap market come
into compliance as soon as possible,
50 E.g., Letter from Richard H. Baker, Managed
Funds Association, dated Mar. 24, 2011 at
Appendix 1, page 1.
51 In a letter from the Financial Services Forum,
Futures Industry Association, International Swaps
and Derivatives Association, and Securities
Industry and Financial Markets Association, dated
May 4, 2011, commenters noted that ‘‘market
participants vary dramatically in their resources,
market sophistication and rationale for using
Swaps. Swap Entities, in general, have greater
resources, access to technology and clearing
infrastructure than their end user counterparties.’’
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58193
thus mitigating risk and promoting
transparency in significant portions of
the swap market.
By requiring Category 2 Entities to
comply within 180 days, the
Commission is seeking to balance the
needs of those market participants that
are not registered with the Commission
and may not be as active in the swap
market with the public interest of
bringing all market participants into
compliance as soon as possible.
The market participants in Category 2
are likely to be less experienced and less
active participants than those in
Category 1. To the extent these market
participants are less active in the swap
markets the balance between moving
their transactions into central clearing
and onto trading platforms and giving
them additional time to comply with the
new requirements, tips in favor of the
latter approach. Additionally, these
entities may not have the same level of
resources as Category 1 Entities.
Therefore, they will benefit from the
opportunity to document new clearing
arrangements, connect to market
infrastructures, and prepare themselves
and their customers for the new
regulatory requirements by considering
examples of how Category 1 Entities
have met these requirements.
It should be noted that Category 2
Entities and other market participants
wanting to come into compliance before
their respective compliance schedule
deadlines in order to take advantage of
the risk-mitigating benefits of central
clearing and executing swaps on trading
platforms are allowed, and encouraged,
to do so.
Entities that are third-party
subaccounts have the additional
challenge of transitioning hundreds, and
in some cases, thousands of subaccounts
into compliance with the clearing and
trade execution requirements. This
process may require that these entities
negotiate and formalize new agreements
with each of their customers. In order to
accomplish this they also will need to
educate their customers about how
clearing and trade execution
requirements will affect the costs and
processes associated with their
accounts. Each of these tasks requires
time. By giving third-party subaccounts
270 days to come into compliance, the
Commission seeks to balance the need
of these entities and their customers for
additional time with the benefits of
reducing risks in the swap market and
protecting the public as quickly as
possible.
It may be that the Category 1 Entities
that constitute the first phase under the
proposed compliance schedules will
bear a larger proportion of the ‘‘start-up’’
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2. Efficiency, Competitiveness, and
Financial Integrity of the Markets
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costs associated with implementing the
clearing and trade execution
requirements. They are the entities
likely to expend the most resources
documenting new clearing
arrangements, connecting to market
infrastructures, and preparing
themselves and their customers for the
new regulatory requirements. The
Commission is aware of these costs and
believes that it is appropriate for the
entities that are likely to be among the
most active participants in these
markets to shoulder a larger percentage
of these start-up costs.
is likely to reduce the cost and
complexity of interconnectedness.52
Lastly, in the absence of the proposed
compliance schedules, some entities
have expressed concern that they would
be unable to comply with the clearing
and trading requirements and would
choose to leave the swap market or
avoid the market for some period of
time. If this occurred, it could reduce
liquidity and increase spreads in the
market. By providing additional time for
compliance, this rule reduces the
chance that these adverse effects will
occur in the swap market during the
transition period.
3. Price Discovery
By necessity, the first group of market
participants that are required to comply
with the clearing and trade execution
requirements, along with DCOs, DCMs,
and SEFs, are likely to work together to
establish methods for compliance that
other market participants may later
consider. The experience with swaps
that the first group of market
participants brings to this process
should help to ensure the integrity and
effectiveness of their solutions. These
solutions will likely be helpful to other
market participants that comply later.
For example, entities that are more
experienced in the swap market, such as
those in Category 1, are likely to have
greater technological expertise and will
best be able to develop the necessary
technological infrastructure.
It is critical that a cross-section of
market participants is involved in
developing the solutions that become
industry conventions in order to ensure
that those approaches promote the
efficiency, competitiveness, and
integrity of participants on the buy-side
and the sell-side. The Commission’s
proposed compliance schedules address
this need. For example, Category 1
includes active funds and MSPs that are
likely to have the experience and
expertise to represent ‘‘buy-side’’
interests, whereas SDs generally will
represent ‘‘sell-side’’ interests.
In providing Category 1 Entities with
90 days to comply with the clearing and
trade execution requirements, the
Commission would afford these market
participants additional time to identify
issues and work to develop solutions.
This is likely to result in more efficient
problem-solving processes, which may
reduce the system-wide start-up costs of
implementing new regulations.
Moreover, it is also likely to foster a
greater degree of compatibility and
interoperability among the varied
methods of compliance which, in turn,
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The trade execution requirement is
expected to facilitate price discovery in
the swap market. However, a disorderly
implementation may inhibit price
discovery by creating confusion about
which counterparties are prepared to
trade specific swaps and which
contracts are fungible. An orderly
process, however, promotes good
communication between counterparties,
which is essential to price discovery
during the transition period.
As for costs, to the extent that market
participants could comply sooner than
the proposed compliance schedule in an
effective and efficient manner, this
proposed schedule would delay the
benefits that would come from
increased price transparency that are
expected to accompany a trade
execution requirement under section
2(h)(8) of the CEA. The Commission’s
proposed compliance schedule reflects
that the Commission anticipates that
market participants will need additional
time, however, for an orderly
implementation process.
4. Sound Risk Management Practices
To the extent that the proposed
compliance schedule for the clearing
requirement would delay
implementation of mandatory clearing,
the swap market could suffer costs in
terms of risk management. For example,
there are risk management costs
associated with not having counterparty
credit risk monitored and managed
effectively by a DCO. More prompt
implementation of mandatory clearing
would have the benefit of preventing
losses from accumulating over time
through the settlement of variation
margin between a DCO’s clearing
members each day. The settlement of
variation margin each day reduces both
the chance of default and the size of any
52 See TABB Group, ‘‘Technology and Financial
Reform: Data, Derivatives and Decision Making’’,
Aug. 2011 at 12.
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default should one occur. Delay in
implementing mandatory clearing
would also postpone the use of initial
margin as a performance bond against
potential future losses such that if a
party fails to meet its obligation to pay
variation margin, resulting in a default,
the DCO may use the defaulting party’s
initial margin to cover most or all of any
loss based on the need to replace the
open position.
On the other hand, the proposed
compliance schedule for the clearing
requirement would provide an orderly
process for implementing mandatory
clearing of swaps, and to the extent that
it does so successfully, it will lead to
overall sounder risk management
practices for the swap market and the
broader financial system, particularly
during the implementation period. As
noted above, in the absence of this rule,
some entities may choose not to engage
in swap transactions while they work to
come into compliance with the new
requirements. This result could expose
those entities to risks they would
otherwise have used swaps to mitigate.
Therefore, by providing a timetable for
orderly transition, this rule encourages
continued participation in the swap
markets and makes possible the
continued use of swaps during the
transition period for risk mitigation
purposes.
Moreover, if market participants were
concerned that they might not be able to
meet the proposed compliance schedule
timelines, it is likely that they would
incur additional costs associated with
the potential lack of regulatory
compliance. Providing additional time
for compliance may reduce the costs
that participants may incur mitigating
legal risks during the transition period,
and focuses those resources on
achieving compliance.
5. Other Public Interest Considerations
There are public interest benefits to
phasing in compliance using the
implementation structure proposed in
this release. The proposed
implementation structure generally
allows market participants to comply
with the requirements of Dodd-Frank as
quickly and efficiently as possible and
thereby provides a sound basis for
achieving the overarching Dodd-Frank
goals of risk reduction and increased
market transparency.
In sum, the Commission has
considered the costs and benefits as
required by section 15(a) and is
proposing the compliance schedules
discussed herein. The Commission
invites public comment on its costbenefit considerations. Commenters are
also invited to submit any data or other
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Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 182 / Tuesday, September 20, 2011 / Proposed Rules
information that they may have
quantifying or qualifying the costs and
benefits of the proposal with their
comment letters.
List of Subjects
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 6, 6a, 6c, 6d, 6e,
6f, 6g, 6i, 6j, 6k, 6l, 6m, 6n, 7, 7a–2, 7b, 7b–
1, 7b–3, 8, 9, 15, and 21, as amended by the
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L. 111–203,
124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
4. Add § 38.11 to read as follows:
17 CFR Part 37
Commodity futures, Swaps, Swap
execution facilities, Registration
application, Registered entities,
Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
§ 38.11 Trade execution compliance
schedule.
17 CFR Part 38
Block transaction, Commodity
futures, Designated contract markets,
Reporting and Recordkeeping
requirements, Transactions off the
centralized market.
17 CFR Part 39
Business and industry, Commodity
futures, Reporting and recordkeeping
requirements.
For the reasons stated in the
preamble, the Commission proposes to
amend 17 CFR parts 37, 38 and 39 as
follows:
(a) A swap transaction shall be subject
to the requirements of section 2(h)(8)(A)
of the Act upon the later of (1) the
applicable deadline established under
the compliance schedule provided
under § 39.5(e)(2); or (2) 30 days after
the swap is first made available for
trading on a swap execution facility
registered under section 5h of the Act or
a board of trade designated as a contract
market under section 5 of the Act.
(b) Nothing in this rule shall prohibit
any counterparty from complying
voluntarily with the requirements of
section 2(h)(8)(A) of the Act sooner than
as provided in paragraph (a) of this
section.
PART 39—DERIVATIVES CLEARING
ORGANIZATIONS
PART 37—SWAP EXECUTION
FACILITIES
5. The authority citation for part 39
continues to read as follows:
1. The authority citation for part 37
continues to read as follows:
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7a–1 as amended by
Pub. L. 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 5, 6, 6c, 7, 7a–
2, 7b–3 and 12a, as amended by Titles VII
and VIII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act, Pub. L.
111–203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
6. Amend § 39.5 to add paragraph (e)
to read as follows:
*
2. Add § 37.12 to read as follows:
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§ 37.12 Trade execution compliance
schedule.
(a) A swap transaction shall be subject
to the requirements of section 2(h)(8)(A)
of the Act upon the later of (1) the
applicable deadline established under
the compliance schedule provided
under § 39.5(e)(2); or (2) 30 days after
the swap is first made available for
trading on either a swap execution
facility registered under section 5h of
the Act or a board of trade designated
as a contract market under section 5 of
the Act.
(b) Nothing in this rule shall prohibit
any counterparty from complying
voluntarily with the requirements of
section 2(h)(8)(A) of the Act sooner than
as provided in paragraph (a) of this
section.
PART 38—DESIGNATED CONTRACT
MARKETS
3. The authority citation for part 38
continues to read as follows:
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§ 39.5 Review of swaps for Commission
determination on clearing requirement.
*
*
*
*
(e) Mandatory clearing compliance
schedule. (1) Definitions. For the
purposes of this paragraph:
Category 1 Entity means (1) a swap
dealer, (2) a security-based swap dealer;
(3) a major swap participant; (4) a major
security-based swap participant; or (5)
an active fund.
Category 2 Entity means (1) a
commodity pool; (2) a private fund as
defined in section 202(a) of the
Investment Advisors Act of 1940 other
than an active fund; (3) an employee
benefit plan as defined in paragraphs (3)
and (32) of section 3 of the Employee
Retirement Income and Security Act of
1974; or (4) a person predominantly
engaged in activities that are in the
business of banking, or in activities that
are financial in nature as defined in
section 4(k) of the Bank Holding
Company Act of 1956, provided that, in
each case, the entity is not a third-party
subaccount.
Active Fund means any private fund
as defined in section 202(a) of the
Investment Advisors Act of 1940, that is
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58195
not a third-party subaccount and that
executes 20 or more swaps per month
based on a monthly average over the 12
months preceding the Commission
issuing a mandatory clearing
determination under section 2(h)(2) of
the Act.
Third-party Subaccount means a
managed account that requires specific
approval by the beneficial owner of the
account to execute documentation
necessary for executing, confirming,
margining, or clearing swaps.
(2) Upon issuing a mandatory clearing
determination under section 2(h)(2) of
the Act, the Commission may
determine, based on the group, category,
type or class of swaps subject to such
determination, that the following
schedule for compliance with the
requirements of section 2(h)(1)(A) of the
Act shall apply:
(i) A swap transaction between a
Category 1 Entity and another Category
1 Entity, or any other entity that desires
to clear the transaction, must comply
with the requirements of section
2(h)(1)(A) of the Act no later than ninety
(90) days after the effective date set by
the Commission for such mandatory
clearing determination.
(ii) A swap transaction between a
Category 2 Entity and a Category 1
Entity, another Category 2 Entity, or any
other entity that desires to clear the
transaction, must comply with the
requirements of section 2(h)(1)(A) of the
Act no later than one hundred and
eighty (180) days after the effective date
set by the Commission for such
mandatory clearing determination.
(iii) All other swap transactions not
eligible to claim the exception from
mandatory clearing set forth in section
2(h)(7) of the Act and § 39.6, must
comply with the requirements of section
2(h)(1)(A) of the Act no later than two
hundred and seventy (270) days after
the effective date set by the Commission
for such mandatory clearing
determination.
(3) Nothing in this rule shall be
construed to prohibit any person from
voluntarily complying with the
requirements of section 2(h)(1)(A) of the
Act sooner than the implementation
schedule provided under paragraph (2).
Issued in Washington, DC, on September 8,
2011, by the Commission.
David A. Stawick,
Secretary of the Commission.
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Appendices to Swap Transaction
Compliance and Implementation
Schedule: Clearing and Trade
Execution Requirements under Section
2(h) of the CEA—Commissioners Voting
Summary and Statements of
Commissioners
NOTE: The following appendices will not
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations
Appendix 1—Commissioners Voting
Summary
On this matter, Chairman Gensler and
Commissioners Dunn, Sommers, and Chilton
voted in the affirmative; Commissioner
O’Malia voted in the negative.
Appendix 2—Statement of Chairman
Gary Gensler
I support the proposed rule to establish
schedules to phase in compliance with the
clearing and trade execution requirement
provisions in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street
Reform and Consumer Protection Act. The
proposal would provide greater clarity to
market participants regarding the timeframe
for bringing their swap transactions into
compliance with the clearing and trade
execution requirements. The rule also would
make the market more open and transparent,
while giving market participants an adequate
amount of time to comply. The proposed rule
would help facilitate an orderly transition to
a new regulatory environment for swaps.
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Appendix 3—Statement of
Commissioner Jill Sommers
I support this proposal to establish a
schedule to phase in compliance with certain
statutory provisions under Title VII of the
Dodd-Frank Act because this will give market
participants some degree of certainty about
implementation deadlines. However, I
believe the Commission should have
provided a broader implementation plan
encompassing all of the rulemakings under
Dodd Frank, rather than the much narrower
portion covered by today’s proposed
rulemaking. In addition, the proposed rule
fails to address a critical component of the
trade execution requirement in Section
2(h)(8) of the Commodity Exchange Act. That
is, what does it mean to ‘‘make a swap
available to trade?’’
I believe the Commission should clarify
who makes the determination that a swap is
‘‘made available for trading’’ and how the
decision is to be made, just as the
Commission has done with respect to the
clearing requirement. This would provide the
public with an opportunity to comment on a
proposed mechanism for such a
determination. In a consultation paper
published by the European Commission’s
Directorate General on Internal Markets and
Services on December 8, 2010, the European
Commission put forth the idea that the
European Securities and Markets Authority,
or ESMA, ‘‘could assess and decide when a
derivative which is eligible for clearing is
sufficiently liquid to be traded exclusively’’
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on a trading platform.53 The European
Commission noted that ESMA could base its
decision on ‘‘the frequency of trades in a
given derivative and the average size of
transactions,’’ and solicited comments from
the public on which criteria could determine
whether a derivative is sufficiently liquid to
be required to be traded on a platform.
Both the Dodd-Frank Act and proposed
regulations in the European Union require
consideration of trading liquidity, in addition
to other factors, before a determination is
made that a swap is required to be cleared.
The Commission should address whether any
additional factors will be considered as part
of a determination on the trade execution
requirement.
Though I support today’s proposal, I
believe the Commission should clarify who
makes the determination that a swap is
‘‘made available for trading’’ and how that
decision will be made.
Appendix 4— Statement of
Commissioner Scott O’Malia
I respectfully dissent from the
Commission’s decision today to approve for
Federal Register publication two rule
proposals related to implementation entitled
‘‘Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Clearing and
Trade Execution Requirements under Section
2(h) of the CEA’’ and ‘‘Swap Transaction
Compliance and Implementation Schedule:
Trading Documentation and Margining
Requirements under Section 4s of the CEA.’’
For quite some time, I have been asking that
the Commission publish for notice and
comment a comprehensive implementation
schedule that addresses the entire mosaic of
rule proposals under the Dodd-Frank Act. I
believe the Commission should have
proposed a comprehensive schedule that
detailed, at a minimum:
• for each registered entity (e.g., swap
dealer and major swap participants),
compliance dates for each of its entityspecific obligations (e.g., all obligations
under Section 4s of the Commodity Exchange
Act) under Dodd-Frank; and
• for each market-wide obligation (e.g., the
clearing and trading mandates), the entities
affected (whether registered or unregistered)
along with appropriate compliance dates.
Such a schedule would have
complemented and informed existing
proposals and provided structure to future
determinations. Additionally, a proposal
regarding such a schedule should have
adequately analyzed the costs and benefits of
alternatives, including appropriate
quantification. Unfortunately, the two rule
proposals that the Commission approved
today fail to either propose a comprehensive
schedule or provide an adequate cost benefit
analysis.
The Commission’s proposals also fail to
request comment on a number of issues that
I believe are important considerations in
developing an implementation plan. As a
53 Public Consultation: Review of the Markets in
Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID) (December
8, 2010), available at https://ec.europa.eu/internal_
market/consultations/docs/2010/mifid/
consultation_paper_en.pdf.
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result, I am encouraging commenters to
submit responses to the questions below as
part of their comments on the two rule
proposals.
Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Clearing and
Trade Execution Requirements under Section
2(h) of the CEA
• Should the Commission provide
guidance on how it will make and
communicate a mandatory clearing
determination prior to considering the first
such determination? If so, what information
should be included in guidance?
• As section II(E) of the proposal states:
‘‘When issuing a mandatory clearing
determination, the Commission would set an
effective date by which all market
participants would have to comply. In other
words, the proposed compliance schedules
would be used only when the Commission
believes that phasing is necessary based on
the considerations outlined in this release.
The Commission will provide the public
with notice of its intent to rely upon the
compliance schedule pursuant to the process
outlined in § 39.5(b)(5).’’ To afford more
certainty to market participants, should the
Commission instead create a presumption
that it will rely on the compliance schedule
for each mandatory clearing determination
that it issues, unless it finds that the
compliance schedule is not necessary to
achieve the benefits set forth in the proposal
(e.g., facilitating the transition to the new
regulatory regime established by the DoddFrank Act in an orderly manner that does not
unduly disrupt markets and transactions)?
• What, if any, other issues not addressed
in current proposed or final rulemakings
should the Commission have taken into
consideration when proposing the
compliance schedule? For example, should
the Commission have considered the extent
to which its clearing and trade execution
requirements apply to entities and
transactions located outside the United
States? Also, should the Commission have
considered the extent to which such
requirements apply to transactions between
affiliates (whether domestic or cross-border)?
If applicable, how should the Commission
adjust the proposed compliance schedule to
account for such issues?
• What, if any, adjustments should the
Commission make to the proposed
compliance schedule for trade execution
requirements if the Commission makes a
determination that a group, category, type, or
class of swaps, rather than a specific swap,
is subject to mandatory clearing? Would such
adjustments vary depending on the manner
in which the Commission defines group,
category, type, or class?
Swap Transaction Compliance and
Implementation Schedule: Trading
Documentation and Margining Requirements
under Section 4s of the CEA
• What, if any, other issues not addressed
in current proposed or final rulemakings
should the Commission have taken into
consideration when proposing the
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compliance schedule? For example, should
the Commission have considered the extent
to which its documentation and margin
requirements apply to entities and
transactions located outside the United
States? Also, should the Commission have
considered the extent to which such
requirements apply to transactions between
affiliates (whether domestic or cross-border)?
If applicable, how should the Commission
adjust the proposed compliance schedule to
account for such issues?
Finally, I want to be clear that I support
completing the final Dodd-Frank rulemakings
in a reasonable time frame. I believe that the
timely implementation of such rulemakings
is important. Knowing when and how the
markets are required to do what is vital to the
success of implementing the new market
structure required under the Dodd-Frank Act.
When billions of dollars are at stake, you
simply do not rely on guesses and estimates
based on vague conditions.
[FR Doc. 2011–24124 Filed 9–19–11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6351–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Bureau of Prisons
28 CFR Part 570
[BOP Docket No. 1151]
RIN 1120–AB61
Pre-Release Community Confinement
Bureau of Prisons, Justice.
Proposed rule.
AGENCY:
ACTION:
In this document, the Bureau
of Prisons (Bureau) responds to recent
litigation surrounding the pre-release
community confinement regulation
which it published on October 21, 2008
by publishing a proposed rule on this
subject.
SUMMARY:
Comments are due by November
21, 2011.
ADDRESSES: Submit comments to the
Rules Unit, Office of General Counsel,
Bureau of Prisons, 320 First Street, NW.,
Washington, DC 20534. You may view
an electronic version of this rule at
https://www.regulations.gov. You may
also comment via the Internet to the
Bureau at BOPRULES@BOP.GOV or by
using the https://www.regulations.gov
comment form for this regulation. When
submitting comments electronically,
you must include the BOP Docket No.
in the subject box.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sarah Qureshi, Office of General
Counsel, Bureau of Prisons, phone (202)
307–2105.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
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DATES:
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Posting of Public Comments
Please note that all comments
received are considered part of the
public record and are available for
public inspection online at https://
www.regulations.gov. Such information
includes personal identifying
information (such as your name,
address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by
the commenter.
If you want to submit personal
identifying information (such as your
name, address, etc.) as part of your
comment, but do not want it to be
posted online, you must include the
phrase ‘‘PERSONAL IDENTIFYING
INFORMATION’’ in the first paragraph
of your comment. You must also locate
all the personal identifying information
you do not want posted online in the
first paragraph of your comment and
identify what information you want
redacted.
If you want to submit confidential
business information as part of your
comment but do not want it to be posted
online, you must include the phrase
‘‘CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS
INFORMATION’’ in the first paragraph
of your comment. You must also
prominently identify confidential
business information to be redacted
within the comment. If a comment
contains so much confidential business
information that it cannot be effectively
redacted, all or part of that comment
may not be posted on https://
www.regulations.gov.
Personal identifying information
identified and located as set forth above
will be placed in the agency’s public
docket file, but not posted online.
Confidential business information
identified and located as set forth above
will not be placed in the public docket
file. If you wish to inspect the agency’s
public docket file in person by
appointment, please see the FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
paragraph.
The Proposed Rule
In this document, the Bureau of
Prisons (Bureau) responds to recent
litigation surrounding the pre-release
community confinement regulation
which it published on October 21, 2008
(73 FR 62443) (2008 regulations) by
publishing a proposed rule on this
subject.
The interim rule published in 2008
revised the Bureau’s regulations on prerelease community confinement in 28
CFR part 570, subpart B, to conform
with the requirements of the Second
Chance Act of 2007, approved April 9th,
2008 (Pub. L. 110–199; 122 Stat. 657)
(‘‘Second Chance Act’’).
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58197
In an opinion filed on June 16, 2010,
the District Court for the District of
Oregon upheld Bureau policies issued
following the Second Chance Act,
finding that they are ‘‘internal agency
guidelines which do not trigger the
procedural requirements of 5 U.S.C.
§ 553,’’ but invalidated the 2008 interim
rule on the grounds that the Bureau did
not ‘‘establish good cause to forego
advance notice and comment’’ under
the Administrative Procedure Act (5
U.S.C. 552, et seq.). Sacora v. Thomas,
No. CV 08–578–MA (D. Or. June 16,
2010). The court enjoined the BOP
‘‘from considering inmates for prerelease RRC [Residential Re-entry
Centers] placement pursuant to 28 CFR
570.20–22 until such time as regulations
are promulgated in accordance with 5
U.S.C. 553(b).’’ We now issue this
proposed rule in order to comply with
the court’s determination. The proposed
rule is identical to the 2008 interim rule,
and we therefore reprint the rationale
for the interim rule below as the
rationale for this proposed rule.
Prior to October 21, 2008, the
community confinement regulations
implemented the Bureau’s categorical
exercise of discretion for designating
inmates to community confinement.
The regulations stated that the Bureau
would designate inmates to community
confinement only as a condition of prerelease custody and programming,
during the last ten percent of the prison
sentence being served, for a period not
exceeding six months, unless specific
Bureau programs allow greater periods
of community confinement.
To conform these regulations to the
language of the Second Chance Act, we
made the following revisions:
Section 570.20 Purpose
In this regulation, we describe the
Bureau’s procedures for designating
inmates to pre-release community
confinement or home detention. We also
provide a new definition of the term
‘‘community confinement.’’ Section
231(f) of the Second Chance Act
amended 18 U.S.C. 3621 by adding a
new subsection (g). New 18 U.S.C.
3621(g)(2) defines the term ‘‘community
confinement’’ for purposes of that
subsection by adopting the meaning
‘‘given that term in the application notes
under section 5F1.1 of the Federal
Sentencing Guidelines Manual’’ in
effect on the date of enactment of the
Act. On April 9, 2008, the application
notes to United States Sentencing
Guideline (USSG) § 5F1.1 read in
pertinent part as follows:
‘‘Community confinement’’ means
residence in a community treatment center,
halfway house, restitution center, mental
E:\FR\FM\20SEP1.SGM
20SEP1
Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 182 (Tuesday, September 20, 2011)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 58186-58197]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24124]
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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
17 CFR Parts 37, 38, and 39
RIN 3038-AD60
Swap Transaction Compliance and Implementation Schedule: Clearing
and Trade Execution Requirements under Section 2(h) of the CEA
AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking.
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SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission or CFTC)
is proposing regulations that would establish a schedule to phase in
compliance with certain new statutory provisions enacted under Title
VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
(Dodd-Frank Act). These provisions include the clearing requirement
under new section 2(h)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA or
Act), and the trade execution requirement under new section 2(h)(8)(A)
of the CEA. The proposed schedules would provide relief in the form of
additional time for compliance with these requirements. This relief is
intended to facilitate the transition to the new regulatory regime
established by the Dodd-Frank Act in an orderly manner that does not
unduly disrupt markets and transactions. The Commission requests
comment on the proposed compliance schedules for these clearing and
trade execution requirements.
DATES: Submit comments on or before November 4, 2011.
ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by RIN number 3038-AD60
and Swap Transaction Compliance and Implementation Schedule: Clearing
and Trade Execution Requirements under Section 2(h) of the CEA, by any
of the following methods:
Agency Web site, via its Comments Online process at https://comments.cftc.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments
through the Web site.
Mail: David A. Stawick, Secretary of the Commission,
Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20581.
Hand Delivery/Courier: Same as mail above.
Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov.
Follow the instructions for submitting comments.
Please submit your comments using only one method.
All comments must be submitted in English, or if not, accompanied
by an English translation. Comments will be posted as received to
https://www.cftc.gov. You should submit only information that you wish
to make available publicly. If you wish the Commission to consider
information that may be exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act, a petition for confidential treatment of the exempt
information may be submitted according to the established procedures in
Sec. 145.9 of the Commission's regulations, 17 CFR 145.9.
The Commission reserves the right, but shall have no obligation, to
review, pre-screen, filter, redact, refuse or remove any or all of your
submission from https://www.cftc.gov that it may deem to be
inappropriate for publication, such as obscene language. All
submissions that have been redacted or removed that contain comments on
the merits of the rulemaking will be retained in the public comment
file and will be considered as required under the Administrative
Procedure Act and other
[[Page 58187]]
applicable laws, and may be accessible under the Freedom of Information
Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dhaval Patel, Counsel, Office of the
General Counsel, 202-418-5125, dpatel@cftc.gov, or Camden Nunery,
Office of the Chief Economist, cnunnery@cftc.gov, 202-418-5723,
Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st
Street, NW., Washington, DC 20581.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On July 21, 2010, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank Act.\1\
Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act amends the CEA \2\ to establish a
comprehensive new regulatory framework for swaps. The legislation was
enacted to reduce risk, increase transparency, and promote market
integrity within the financial system by, among other things: (1)
Providing for the registration and comprehensive regulation of swap
dealers and major swap participants; (2) imposing clearing and trade
execution requirements on standardized derivative products; (3)
creating robust recordkeeping and real-time reporting regimes; and (4)
enhancing the rulemaking and enforcement authorities of the Commission
with respect to, among others, all registered entities and
intermediaries subject to the Commission's oversight.
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\1\ See Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection
Act, Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
\2\ 7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.
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To implement the Dodd-Frank Act, the Commission has to-date issued
55 advance notices of proposed rulemaking or notices of proposed
rulemaking, two interim final rules, 12 final rules, and one proposed
interpretive order. By the beginning of May 2011, the Commission had
published in the Federal Register a significant number of notices of
proposed rulemaking, which represented a substantially complete mosaic
of the Commission's proposed regulatory framework under Title VII of
the Dodd-Frank Act. In recognition of that fact and with the goal of
giving market participants additional time to comment on the proposed
new regulatory framework for swaps, either in part or as a whole, the
Commission reopened or extended the comment period of many of its
proposed rulemakings through June 3, 2011.\3\ In total, the Commission
has received over 20,000 comments in response to its Dodd-Frank Act
rulemaking proposals.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ See Reopening and Extension of Comment Periods for
Rulemakings Implementing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act, 76 FR 25274, May 4, 2011.
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To give the public an opportunity to comment further on
implementation phasing, on May 2-3, 2011, the Commission, along with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), held a joint, two-day
roundtable on issues related to implementation.\4\ In connection with
this roundtable, Commission staff proposed thirteen concepts to be
considered regarding implementation phasing, and staff asked a series
of questions based on the concepts outlined.\5\ The Commission received
numerous comments in response to both its roundtable and the staff
concepts and questions.\6\
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\4\ The transcripts from the roundtable are available at https://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@newsroom/documents/file/csjac_transcript050311.pdf (``Day 1 Roundtable Tr.'') and https://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@newsroom/documents/file/csjac_transcript050211.pdf (``Day 2 Roundtable Tr.'').
\5\ See ``CFTC Staff Concepts and Questions Regarding Phased
Implementation of Effective Dates for Final Dodd-Frank Rules,''
available at https://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@newsroom/documents/file/staffconcepts050211.pdf.
\6\ Such comments are available at https://comments.cftc.gov/PublicComments/CommentList.aspx?id=1000.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
These comments were submitted by a number of existing and potential
market infrastructures, including clearinghouses, trading platforms,
and swap data repositories. Comments also were submitted by entities
that may potentially be swap dealers (SDs) or major swap participants
(MSPs), as well as those financial entities that may not be required to
register with the Commission, but whose swap transactions may be
required to comply with the clearing requirement under section
2(h)(1)(A) of the CEA, and a trade execution requirement under section
2(h)(8)(A) of the CEA. The Commission also received many comments from
non-financial entities.
One of the key themes to emerge from the comments received by the
Commission is that some market participants may require more time to
bring their swap transactions into compliance with certain new
regulatory requirements.\7\ For example, one commenter requested a
``meaningful'' period after finalization of the suite of rulemakings
that is applicable to it before actual compliance will be required.\8\
Similarly, several trade associations recommended the Commission allow
``sufficient'' time for infrastructure and business practices to
develop before requiring compliance with the new requirements.\9\ A
group of international banks commented that the Commission should defer
compliance until December 31, 2012, at which point the regulatory
timetable as per the September 2009 G20 Pittsburgh statement will have
reached a conclusion.\10\ Another commenter noted that some entities
may be able to comply relatively quickly with certain documentation
requirements that are largely consistent with current business
practices while other requirements may need a longer implementation
period.\11\ Although commenters varied in their recommendations
regarding the time it would take to bring their swaps into compliance
with the new regulatory requirements,\12\ many commenters agreed on
phasing in compliance with these requirements by type of market
participant based on a variety of factors, including a market
participant's experience, resources, and the size and complexity of its
transactions.\13\ The Commission has taken these comments into
consideration in developing the proposed compliance schedules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\7\ E.g., Letter from Karrie McMillan, Investment Company
Institute, dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 8-11; Letter from Financial
Services Forum, Futures Industry Association, International Swaps
and Derivatives Association, and Securities Industry and Financial
Markets Association, dated May 4, 2011 at 7-9; Letter from Jeff
Gooch, MarkitSERV, dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 1-2 and 6; Letter from
Electric Trade Association, dated May 4, 2011 at 5; Letter from John
R. Gidman, Association of Institutional Investors, dated Jun. 10,
2011 at 3.
\8\ Letter from the Coalition of Physical Energy Companies,
dated Mar. 14, 2011 at 4.
\9\ Letter from the Futures Industry Association, the Financial
Services Forum, the International Swaps and Derivatives Association
and the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, dated
May 4, 2011 at 5.
\10\ Letter from the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., et al.,
dated May 6, 2011 at 6.
\11\ Letter from the Financial Services Roundtable, dated May
12, 2011 at 4.
\12\ For example, Javelin stated that it could be open for
business and generally be in compliance with the clearing and trade
execution requirements within 6 months. Day 1 Roundtable Tr. at 104-
105. Citadel suggested moving towards a voluntary clearing launch
between day 180 and day 240, and eventually moving towards a
mandatory clearing date. Day 1 Roundtable Tr. at 73-74. Moreover,
the Swap Financial Group offered a different perspective stating
that it generally thought implementation of Dodd-Drank could be
accomplished in a year or two. Day 2 Roundtable Tr. at 269.
\13\ These comments are more fully discussed later in the
preamble.
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The swap transaction compliance requirements that are the subject
of this proposed rulemaking include compliance with the clearing
requirement and the corresponding trade execution requirement under
sections 2(h)(1)(A) and 2(h)(8)(A) of the CEA, respectively.\14\ The
Commission's
[[Page 58188]]
proposed compliance schedules are designed to afford affected market
participants a reasonable amount of time to bring their transactions
into compliance with such requirements. The proposed schedules also
would provide relief in the form of additional time for compliance with
these transaction compliance requirements and are further explained
below.\15\ This relief is intended to facilitate the transition to the
new regulatory regime established by the Dodd-Frank Act in an orderly
manner that does not unduly disrupt markets and transactions.
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\14\ The Commission also is proposing Swap Transaction
Compliance and Implementation Schedule: Trade Documentation and
Margining Requirements under section 4s of the CEA.
\15\ The proposed compliance schedules do not address the
effective dates of the clearing and trade execution requirements in
the Dodd-Frank Act, including the application of the Commission's
Effective Date Order to such requirements. See Effective Date for
Swap Regulation, 76 FR 42508, Jul. 19, 2011.
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II. Proposed Regulation
A. Authority to Implement Proposed Regulations
In this Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, the Commission relies on its
general authority to establish compliance dates with the rules and
regulations enacted pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act. Section 712(f) also
authorizes the Commission to promulgate rules to prepare for the
effective dates of the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act.\16\ In
addition, the Commission relies on section 8(a)(5) of the CEA, which
authorizes the Commission to promulgate such regulations as, in the
judgment of the Commission, are reasonably necessary to effectuate any
of the provisions or to accomplish any of the purposes of the CEA. In
accordance with this authority, the proposed regulations would amend
parts 37, 38, and 39 of the Commission's regulations to phase in
compliance dates for the clearing and trade execution requirements
under section 2(h) of the CEA.
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\16\ Section 712(f) of the Dodd-Frank Act states: ``Beginning on
the date of enactment of this Act and notwithstanding the effective
date of any provision of this Act, the [Commission] * * * may, in
order to prepare for the effective dates of the provisions of this
Act--(1) promulgate rules, regulations, or orders permitted or
required by this Act * * *.''
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B. Implementation Phasing of the Clearing Requirement under Section
2(h)(1)
1. Background on Mandatory Clearing Determinations
Section 723(a)(3) of the Dodd-Frank Act amended the CEA to provide,
under new section 2(h)(1)(A), that ``it shall be unlawful for any
person to engage in a swap unless that person submits such swap for
clearing to a derivatives clearing organization that is registered
under this Act or a derivatives clearing organization that is exempt
from registration under this Act if the swap is required to be
cleared.'' \17\ Section 2(h)(2) charges the Commission with the
responsibility for determining whether a swap is required to be
cleared, through one of two avenues: (1) Pursuant to a Commission-
initiated review; or (2) pursuant to a submission from a derivatives
clearing organization (DCO) of each swap, or any group, category, type,
or class of swaps that the DCO ``plans to accept for clearing.'' \18\
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\17\ Section 2(h)(7) of the CEA provides an exception to the
clearing requirement (``the end-user exception'') when one of the
counterparties to a swap (i) Is not a financial entity, (ii) is
using the swap to hedge or mitigate commercial risk, and (iii)
notifies the Commission how it generally meets its financial
obligations associated with entering into a non-cleared swap.
\18\ Under section 2(h)(2)(B)(ii), the Commission must consider
swaps listed for clearing by a DCO as of the date of enactment of
the Dodd-Frank Act.
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On July 26, 2011, the Commission published in the Federal Register
a final rule regarding the process for review of swaps for mandatory
clearing.\19\ Under Sec. 39.5(b)(6), the Commission will review a
DCO's submission and determine whether the swap, or group, category,
type, or class of swaps, described in the submission is required to be
cleared. This determination will be made not later than 90 days after a
complete submission has been received from a DCO, unless the submitting
DCO agrees to an extension. Under Sec. 39.5(c), Commission-initiated
reviews of swaps that have not been accepted for clearing by a DCO will
take place on an ongoing basis. However, as explained in the preamble
to the final rule, the ``Commission anticipates that the initial
mandatory clearing determinations would only involve swaps that are
already being cleared or that a DCO wants to clear.'' \20\
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\19\ 76 FR 44464, Jul. 26, 2011.
\20\ 76 FR at 44469.
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Because the Commission initially will consider mandatory clearing
determinations based on those swaps that DCOs are currently clearing or
that a DCO would like to clear, the initial sequence of mandatory
clearing determinations will be based on the market's view of which
swaps can be cleared and which asset classes are ready for clearing, as
reflected by the fact that a DCO is either currently clearing a group,
category, type, or class of swaps or is intending to do so. For
example, multiple registered DCOs currently clear interest rate,
credit, and commodity swaps. For these swaps, the Commission will begin
the review process for issuing mandatory clearing determinations in the
near term.
The Commission observes that before market participants could be
required to comply with a mandatory clearing determination, the
Commission must adopt its final rules related to the end-user exception
to mandatory clearing established by section 2(h)(7) of the CEA. In
December 2010, the Commission proposed rules governing this elective
exception to mandatory clearing.\21\ The proposed rule generally
provides that a swap otherwise subject to mandatory clearing is subject
to an elective exception from clearing if one party to the swap is not
a financial entity, is using swaps to hedge or mitigate commercial
risk, and notifies the Commission how it generally meets its financial
obligations associated with entering into non-cleared swaps (the ``end-
user clearing exception'').\22\ Because this proposed rule would
establish the process by which a non-financial entity would elect not
to clear a swap subject to a clearing requirement, this rule would need
to be finalized prior to requiring compliance with a mandatory clearing
determination.
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\21\ End-User Exception to Mandatory Clearing of Swaps, 75 FR
80747, Dec. 23, 2010.
\22\ 75 FR at 80748.
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In addition, the Commission recognizes that the swap transaction
compliance schedules that are the subject of this proposal reference
terms such as ``swap,'' ``swap dealer,'' and ``major swap participant''
that are the subject of rulemaking under sections 712(d)(1) and 721(c)
of the Dodd-Frank Act.\23\ The Commission and the SEC have proposed
rules that would further define each of these terms.\24\ As such,
[[Page 58189]]
and in a manner consistent with the temporary relief provided in the
Commission's Effective Date Order,\25\ the Commission must adopt its
final rules regarding the further definitions in question prior to
requiring compliance with a mandatory clearing determination.\26\
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\23\ Section 712(d)(1) provides: ``Notwithstanding any other
provision of this title and subsections (b) and (c), the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission and the Securities and Exchange
Commission, in consultation with the Board of Governors [of the
Federal Reserve System], shall further define the terms `swap',
`security-based swap', `swap dealer', `security-based swap dealer',
`major swap participant', `major security-based swap participant',
and `security-based swap agreement' in section 1a(47)(A)(v) of the
Commodity Exchange Act (7 U.S.C. 1a(47)(A)(v)) and section 3(a)(78)
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78c(a)(78)).''
Section 721(c) provides: ``To include transactions and entities that
have been structured to evade this subtitle (or an amendment made by
this subtitle), the Commodity Futures Trading Commission shall adopt
a rule to further define the terms `swap', `swap dealer', `major
swap participant', and `eligible contract participant'.''
\24\ Further Definition of ``Swap Dealer,'' ``Security-Based
Swap Dealer,'' ``Major Swap Participant,'' ``Major Security-Based
Swap Participant,'' and ``Eligible Contract Participant''; Proposed
Rule, 75 FR 80174, Dec. 21, 2010 and Further Definition of ``Swap,''
``Security-Based Swap,'' and ``Security-Based Swap Agreement'';
Mixed Swaps; Security-Based Swap Agreement Recordkeeping, 76 FR
29818, May 23, 2011.
\25\ See Effective Date for Swap Regulation, 76 FR 42508, Jul.
19, 2011.
\26\ Notably, under section 712(f) of the Dodd-Frank Act, these
definitions would not have to be finalized for the Commission to
review swap submissions from DCOs.
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Lastly, the Commission notes that it has yet to adopt final rules
relating to the protection of cleared swaps customer contracts and
collateral. These rules are essential for establishing the customer
protection regime associated with client clearing for swaps through
Commission-registered futures commission merchants (FCMs) at DCOs.\27\
The Commission believes that finalizing the rules regarding the
segregation of customer collateral prior to requiring compliance with a
mandatory clearing determination is necessary to effectuate the
purposes of new section 4d(f) of the CEA.
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\27\ Protection of Cleared Swaps Customer Contracts and
Collateral; Conforming Amendments to the Commodity Broker Bankruptcy
Provisions, 76 FR 33818, Jun. 9, 2011.
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2. Compliance Schedule for Clearing Requirement--Sec. 39.5(e)
Proposed Sec. 39.5(e) would provide the Commission with the
authority to phase in compliance with a clearing requirement upon
issuance of a mandatory clearing determination. The proposed compliance
schedule is based on the type of market participants entering into the
swaps subject to the clearing requirement. The triggering event for the
application of this compliance schedule would be the Commission's
issuance of a determination that the swap, or group, category, type, or
class of swaps, is required to be cleared.\28\
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\28\ See discussion below at p. 21 and above at p. 7. It would
be possible for the Commission to issue a mandatory clearing
determination but postpone the overall compliance date for all
market participants for some period of time. Additionally, market
participants may begin clearing their swap transactions as soon as a
DCO begins accepting such swaps for clearing, regardless of whether
the Commission determines that such swaps are required to be
cleared.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
In proposing phased implementation schedules for the clearing
requirement, the Commission seeks to balance several goals. First, the
Commission believes that certain market participants may require
additional time to bring their swaps into compliance with the new
regulatory requirement for mandatory clearing of a swap or class of
swaps. This is particularly true for market participants that may not
be registered with the Commission and those market participants that
may have hundreds or thousands of managed accounts, referred to as
``third-party subaccounts'' for the purposes of this proposal. Under
this proposal, these parties would be afforded additional time to
document new client clearing arrangements, connect to market
infrastructure such as DCOs, and prepare themselves and their customers
for the new regulatory requirements. As one commenter noted, ``[i]n the
context of asset managers, the account set up process has to be
multiplied over hundreds of subaccounts. Processing all of these
subaccounts will take time even for the largest and most
technologically advanced asset managers.'' \29\
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\29\ Letter from Karrie McMillan, Investment Company Institute,
dated Jun. 10, 2011 at 9-10.
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Moreover, several commenters emphasized the need to have adequate
time to educate their clients regarding the new regulatory
requirements.\30\ For instance, market participants not registered with
the Commission may not be familiar with the new regulatory
requirements. In addition, market participants with third-party
subaccounts would have to educate additional clients. Accordingly, both
types of participants should be given additional time to prepare for
compliance with the new requirements.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\30\ See Letter from Financial Services Forum, Futures Industry
Association, International Swaps and Derivatives Association, and
Securities Industry Association, dated May 4, 2011 at 9; Letter from
Karrie McMillan, Investment Company Institute, dated Jun. 10, 2011
at 10-11.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another goal of the proposed compliance schedule is to have
adequate representation of market participants involved at the outset
of implementing a new mandatory clearing regime for swaps. The
Commission believes that having a cross-section of market participants
involved at the outset of formulating and designing the rules and
infrastructure under which mandatory clearing is implemented will best
meet the needs of all market participants.
Several commenters have recommended that the Commission take such
an approach. For example, one commenter emphasized the importance of
the initiation of so-called ``buy-side'' clearing access for credit
default swaps in 2009 and recommended that ``[a]t the time that a class
of products is ready for clearing, all market participants (including
buy-side participants) should be permitted (but not required) to clear
those products * * *.'' \31\ In another example, one commenter
recommended that in phasing mandatory clearing the Commission should
aim for open access to establish an ``all to all market'' with both
sides of the trade involved with the initial implementation.\32\ In
further response to these comments, the Commission notes that market
participants can begin (and continue) voluntarily clearing swaps
through eligible DCOs at any time.
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\31\ Letter from Richard H. Baker, Managed Funds Association,
dated Mar. 24, 2011 at Appendix 1, page 1 and Appendix 2, page 2.
\32\ Letter from Chris Koppenheffer, Swaps & Derivatives Market
Association, dated Jun. 1, 2011 at 2.
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C. Implementation Phasing of the Trade Execution Requirement Under
Section 2(h)(8)
1. Background on Trade Execution Requirement
Section 723 of the Dodd Frank Act amended the CEA to provide, under
new section 2(h)(8)(A), that with respect to a swap that is subject to
the clearing requirement of section 2(h)(1)(A), ``counterparties shall
(i) execute the transaction on a board of trade designated as a
contract market under section 5 [a DCM]; or (ii) execute the
transaction on a swap execution facility [SEF] registered under section
5h or a swap execution facility exempt from registration under section
5h(f) of this Act.'' Under section 2(h)(8)(B), the only exceptions to
the trade execution requirement are if no DCM or SEF ``makes the swap
available to trade'' or the swap is subject to the clearing exception
under section 2(h)(7) (i.e., the end-user exception).\33\
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\33\ Section 2(h)(1)(B).
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Based on the natural phasing provided for in the statute, a trade
execution requirement is triggered for a swap when (1) The Commission
has issued a determination that the swap is required to be cleared and
(2) any DCM or SEF has made the swap available to trade.\34\
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\34\ This rulemaking does not address the manner in which it may
be determined or established that a DCM or a SEF has made a swap
available for trading.
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The Commission observes that before market participants could be
required to comply with a trade execution requirement the Commission
must adopt final rules related to SEFs and DCMs. The Commission has
proposed rules related to the new core principles for DCMs and the
changes to the 18 original DCM core principles.\35\ While
[[Page 58190]]
none of the new rules proposed for DCMs relate directly to the trade
execution requirement under section 2(h)(8), the Commission believes
that it is necessary for DCMs to have their new policies, procedures,
and rulebooks in place prior to the DCMs making a swap available for
trading.
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\35\ Core Principles and Other Requirements for Designated
Contract Markets, 75 FR 80572, Dec. 22, 2010.
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With regard to SEFs, the Commission also observes that it would
have to adopt final rules allowing for SEF registration, including
procedures for provisional registration, prior to any SEF making a swap
that is required to be cleared available for trading.\36\ The
finalization of these rules would enable SEFs to register with the
Commission and ensure that they have developed their new policies,
procedures, and rulebooks.
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\36\ Core Principles and other Requirements for Swap Execution
Facilities, 76 FR 1214, Jan. 7, 2011. As part of the SEF rulemaking,
the Commission proposed regulation Sec. 37.10, which would require
each SEF to conduct an annual review of whether it has made a swap
available for trading and to provide a report to the Commission
regarding its assessment. Id. at 1222 and 1241.
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2. Compliance Schedule for the Trading Execution Requirement--
Sec. Sec. 37.12 and 38.11
Proposed regulations Sec. Sec. 37.12 and 38.11 provide for the
phased implementation of a trade execution requirement by setting forth
a compliance schedule tied to the schedule proposed for the clearing
requirement.
The proposed compliance schedules for the trade execution
requirement would be triggered upon the later of (1) The applicable
deadline established under the compliance schedule for the associated
clearing mandate; or (2) 30 days after the swap is made available for
trading on either a SEF or a DCM. Consequently, market participants
always will have at least thirty days after a DCM or SEF has made a
swap available for trading to comply with a trade execution
requirement. Prior to a Commission-issued mandatory clearing
determination, both DCMs and SEFs would be permitted to offer swaps for
trading by market participants on a voluntarily basis. However, those
swaps would not be required to be traded on a DCM or SEF, pursuant to
section 2(h)(8) of the CEA until the associated clearing requirement
took effect.
D. Three-Part Implementation Phasing
The Commission proposes compliance schedules for phasing
implementation that afford relief in the form of additional time for
compliance with any clearing requirement or trade execution requirement
by category of market participant. The Commission based its proposed
categorization of entities on the definition of ``financial entity'' in
section 2(h)(7)(C) of the CEA.\37\ Under this statutory provision,
Congress identified financial entities that would not be eligible to
claim an exception from a clearing requirement under section 2(h)(1) of
the CEA.
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\37\ CEA section 2(h)(7)(A)(i) limits availability of the end-
user clearing exception to counterparties to the swap that are not a
financial entity. The term financial entity is defined in CEA
section 2(h)(7)(C)(i), and includes the following eight entities:
(i) A swap dealer; (ii) a security-based swap dealer; (iii) a major
swap participant; (iv) a major security-based swap participant; (v)
a commodity pool as defined in CEA section 1a(10); (vi) a private
fund as defined in section 202(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of
1940 (15 U.S.C. 80b-2(a)); (vii) an employee benefit plan as defined
in paragraphs (3) and (32) of section 3 of the Employee Retirement
Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002); or (viii) a person
predominantly engaged in activities that are in the business of
banking or financial in nature, as defined in section 4(k) of the
Bank Holding Company Act of 1956 (12 U.S.C. 1843(k)).
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Phase 1--Category 1 Entities
The proposed compliance schedule would define ``Category 1
Entities'' to include a swap dealer, a security-based swap dealer, a
major swap participant, a major security-based swap participant, or an
active fund.
Category 1 Entities include those dealers and major participants in
the swap and security-based swap markets that will be registered with
the Commission or the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).\38\
Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Act requires these market participants to
register with either the CFTC or SEC as a result of their swaps or
security-based swaps activities. Based on their level of market
experience and based on their status as registrants with either the
CFTC or the SEC, the Commission believes they should be capable of
complying with a clearing requirement and a trade execution requirement
sooner than other market participants and that 90 days is a reasonable
timeframe for these entities to come into compliance with these
requirements.
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\38\ If a security-based swap dealer or a major security-based
swap participant is not yet required to register with the SEC at
such time as the Commission issues mandatory clearing determination,
then the security-based swap dealer or a major security-based swap
participant would be treated as a Category 2 Entity.
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The Commission also is proposing to include those entities it
defines as ``active funds'' in the first category of market
participants. The proposed definition of ``active fund'' would mean
``any private fund as defined in section 202(a) of the Investment
Advisors Act of 1940, that is not a third-party subaccount and that
executes 20 or more swaps per month based on a monthly average over the
12 months preceding the Commission issuing a mandatory clearing
determination under section 2(h)(2) of the Act.''\39\
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\39\ It should be noted that many commodity pools meet the
definition of private fund under section 202(a) of the Investment
Advisors Act of 1940. Such a commodity pool would only be a Category
1 Entity if it met the other criteria of an active fund.
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The Commission is relying on the definition of private fund from
section 2(h)(7)(C) of the CEA, as well as section 402 of the Dodd-Frank
Act. However, the Commission is limiting the definition in two ways.
First, the definition excludes third-party subaccounts, as discussed
further below. Second, the definition is limited to those private funds
that execute 20 or more swaps per month based on the average over the
12 months preceding the Commission's issuance of a mandatory clearing
determination.\40\ In choosing this threshold, the Commission's goal
was to ensure the involvement of a cross-section of market participants
at the outset of both clearing and trading requirement implementation.
The Commission also sought to address some commenters' concerns
regarding adequate ``buy-side'' representation early in the mandatory
clearing process. Based on a preliminary assessment, the Commission
believes the proposed numerical threshold for active funds is
appropriate because a private fund that conducts this volume of swaps
would be likely to have: (1) Sufficient resources to enter into
arrangements that comply with the clearing and trade execution
requirement earlier than other types of market participants; and (2)
sufficient market experience to contribute meaningfully to the ``buy-
side'' perspective as industry standards are being developed.\41\ In
defining ``active fund'' accordingly, the Commission believes it has
included those market participants that are likely to be among the most
experienced participants with expertise and resources needed to come
into transaction compliance quickly.
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\40\ In calculating the numerical threshold, the Commission
intends for funds to calculate all swaps it executes not just those
that are the subject of a mandatory clearing determination.
\41\ The Commission is unaware of any position-level or
transaction-level data on private fund swap activity in a publicly
available form. In order to determine private fund activity levels,
the staff consulted with academics focusing their research in this
area, with industry participants, and with groups that represent the
industry.
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The Commission proposes to phase in compliance with the mandatory
clearing requirement for any swap transaction between a Category 1
Entity and another Category 1 Entity, or any other entity
[[Page 58191]]
that desires to clear the transaction \42\ within the first 90 days
after the Commission issues any mandatory clearing determination. With
respect to the trade execution requirement, the Commission proposes to
phase in compliance with this requirement either at the same time as
the clearing requirement or thirty days after the swap is made
available for trading, whichever is later. The Commission proposes
phasing in all Category 1 Entities first because these market
participants are likely to be the most active and experienced market
participants whose involvement in the early stages of building and
rolling out the clearing and trading requirements is critical. The
Commission is attempting to include in this category those market
participants with the expertise and resources to implement mandatory
clearing and trading most quickly. The Commission also believes
Category 1 Entities likely will have the most existing connectivity to
clearinghouses and trading platforms and would be able to come into
compliance sooner than other categories of participants.
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\42\ The intent of this clause is to facilitate clearing by
counterparties that desire to comply with a clearing mandate earlier
than they would otherwise be required to under the compliance
schedule. The Commission solicits comment on whether there would be
a better way to accomplish this objective.
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Phase 2--Category 2 Entities
The proposed compliance schedule would define ``Category 2
Entities'' to include a commodity pool; a private fund as defined in
section 202(a) of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940 other than an
active fund; an employee benefit plan as defined in paragraphs (3) and
(32) of section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income and Security Act of
1974; or a person predominantly engaged in activities that are in the
business of banking, or in activities that are financial in nature as
defined in section 4(k) of the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956,
provided that the entity is not a third-party subaccount.
The Commission proposes to phase in compliance for swap
transactions between a Category 2 Entity and Category 1 Entity, another
Category 2 Entity, or any other entity that desires to clear the
transaction.\43\ The Commission is proposing to afford swap
transactions between these types of market participants 180 days to
come into compliance with a clearing requirement. With respect to the
trade execution requirement, the Commission proposes to phase in
compliance with this requirement either at the same time as the
clearing requirement or thirty days after the swap is made available
for trading, whichever is later. In providing these market participants
an additional 90 days to come into compliance, the Commission took into
consideration the fact that Category 2 Entities may not be required to
be registered with the Commission and may be less experienced and less
frequent users of the swap markets than those in Category 1.
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\43\ See footnote 42.
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Additionally, Category 2 Entities may not have the same level of
expertise and resources to bring their swaps into compliance with a
clearing requirement as quickly as Category 1 Entities. As defined for
purposes of these compliance schedules, Category 2 Entities do not
include those financial entities that are third-party subaccounts, as
described further below.
Phase 3--Third-Party Subaccounts and all Other Swap Transactions
Finally, the Commission proposes to phase in compliance for all
other swap transactions not excepted from the mandatory clearing
requirement within 270 days after the Commission issues a clearing
requirement. The Commission proposes to phase in compliance with the
trade execution requirement either at the same time as the clearing
requirement or thirty days after the swap is made available for
trading, whichever is later.
The Commission proposes to include all entities that are third-
party subaccounts in this 270-day period. This approach would give
these entities the most time to bring their swaps into compliance
because they are likely to require the most time for documentation,
coordination, and management. A third-party subaccount is afforded 270
days to bring its swaps into compliance because its portfolio is
managed by an asset manager that may have to bring numerous accounts
into compliance. The Commission also proposes to include any other swap
transaction that would be subject to a clearing requirement into
compliance within this proposed 270-day period.
Under the Commission's proposed definition, a third-party
subaccount would be a managed account that requires specific approval
by the beneficial owner of the account to execute documentation
necessary for executing, confirming, margining, or clearing swaps. By
way of non-exclusive example, if investment management firm X manages
the assets of pension fund Y, and does so in a separate account that
requires the approval of pension fund Y to execute necessary
documentation, then that account would be afforded 270 days to come
into compliance. On the other hand, if pension fund Y manages its own
assets, it would fall within Category 2 and be afforded 180 days to
come into compliance. Likewise, if investment management firm X does
not manage the assets of third parties, then it would fall within
Category 2.
The Commission is proposing to afford third-party subaccounts an
additional 90 days beyond the 180 days proposed for Category 2 because
such entities may have documentation obligations for hundreds or even
thousands of third-party subaccounts, and each such account must meet
the mandatory clearing and trading requirements. For example, according
to a statement made during the Joint SEC-CFTC Roundtable by Mr. William
DeLeon of the firm Pacific Investment Management Company, LLC (PIMCO),
PIMCO manages hundreds of third-party subaccounts, as defined
above.\44\ The proposed compliance schedules would not prohibit any
type of market participant from voluntarily complying sooner than the
compliance deadline. Indeed, the Commission would encourage market
participants that can come into compliance more quickly to move their
swaps into clearing and begin trading on trading platforms as soon as
possible in order to facilitate development of infrastructure that
takes into account the views of many types of market participants. As
one commenter noted, ``Smaller entities, for example, may have unique
issues that need to be accounted for before systems are hardwired. Many
swap market participants are small entities; it is important to ensure
that these entities and their liquidity are not squeezed out of the
swaps market.'' \45\
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\44\ Day 2 Roundtable Tr. at 62.
\45\ Investment Company Institute, Jun. 10, 2011 letter, at 12.
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E. Prospective Application of Compliance Schedules
The Commission anticipates that it will exercise its authority to
trigger the proposed compliance schedules each time it issues a
mandatory clearing determination for a new group, category, type, or
class of swaps. Under this approach, when a DCO begins offering a new
swap for clearing and it is in the same group, category, type, or class
of swaps and it meets the requirements imposed under a previously
issued mandatory clearing determination, then the proposed compliance
schedules would not be triggered. However, if the Commission issues a
mandatory clearing determination in any entirely new group, category,
type, or class of
[[Page 58192]]
swaps then the compliance schedules could once again be triggered by
the Commission. For example, if the Commission issues a mandatory
clearing determination for 5 year credit default swap products and a
new 5 year credit default swap product is offered for clearing based on
a new 5 year index, then the proposed compliance schedules may not be
triggered. If on the other hand, the Commission has not issued a
mandatory clearing determination for 10 year credit default swap
products and a new 10 year credit default swap product is offered for
clearing, then the compliance schedules could be triggered by the
Commission.
When issuing a mandatory clearing determination, the Commission
would set an effective date by which all market participants would have
to comply. In other words, the proposed compliance schedules would be
used only when the Commission believes that phasing is necessary based
on the considerations outlined in this release. The Commission will
provide the public with notice of its intent to rely upon the
compliance schedule pursuant to the process outlined in Sec.
39.5(b)(5).
The Commission solicits comment on the ongoing usefulness of the
proposed compliance schedules once market participants have established
documentation and connectivity to DCOs, DCMs, and SEFs.
F. Comment Requested
The Commission requests comment on all aspects of the proposed
compliance schedules, Sec. Sec. 37.12, 38.11 and 39.5(e). The
Commission may consider alternatives to the proposed compliance
schedules and is requesting comment on the following questions:
What, if any, other rules should have been taken into
consideration when proposing an implementation schedule regarding the
clearing and trade execution requirements? If applicable, how should
the implementation requirements of those other rules be taken into
consideration?
Should there be a presumption that the Commission will
rely on the compliance schedule for each mandatory clearing
determination that it issues, unless the Commission finds that the
compliance schedule is not necessary to achieve the benefits set forth
herein (e.g., facilitating the transition to the new regulatory
requirement established by the Dodd-Frank Act in an orderly manner that
does not unduly disrupt markets and transactions)?
What factors, if any, would prevent an entity in any of
the proposed categories from adhering to the compliance schedules
proposed by the Commission? How much additional time would be needed to
address these factors?
Are there other considerations that the Commission should
have taken into account when designing this tiered implementation
schedule? Are the timeframes outlined in this implementation schedule
adequate? If not, what alternative schedule should the Commission
consider, and why?
Assuming a situation where a swap first becomes subject to
the clearing requirement and then is made available for trading by a
DCM or SEF, is an additional thirty days after the swap becomes made
available for trading enough time for DCMs, SEFs, and market
participants to come into compliance with the trade execution
requirement? For example, would thirty days be sufficient for the
needed technological linkages to be established between (i) the DCOs,
DCMs, and SEFs and (ii) the DCMs, SEFs, and market participants.
What other entities, if any, should be included in
Category 1 or 2, and why? Should any entities be moved from Category 1
or 2 to a later category? For example, where should the Commission
place those entities described in section 2(h)(7)(C)(ii) of the CEA
(e.g., small banks, savings associations, farm credit system
institutions, and credit unions)?
What adjustments to the compliance schedule and/or other
steps could the Commission take to ensure there is adequate
representation from all market participants at the outset of clearing
and trade execution requirements?
In suggesting phasing in transactions between Category 1
or 2 Entities and ``any other entity that desires to clear the
transaction,'' the Commission intended to facilitate clearing by
counterparties that desire to comply with a clearing mandate earlier
than they would otherwise be required to under the compliance schedule.
Is there a better way to achieve this objective?
Is an entity's average monthly swap transaction activity a
useful proxy for that entity's ability to comply with the clearing and
trade execution requirements? Or whether an entity is required to be
registered with the Commission (rather than whether an entity is
already registered with the Commission)?
Is the Commission's definition of ``active fund'' overly
inclusive or under-inclusive? Should the numerical threshold for number
of monthly swap transactions be higher or lower than 20? If so, why?
Should the number of monthly swap transactions be linked to swap
activity in a particular asset class?
Should the Commission exclude from the definition of
``active fund'' any investment advisor of private funds acting solely
as an advisor to private funds with assets under management in the
United States of less than $150,000,000, as provided for in the
reporting exemption for private funds under section 408 of the Dodd-
Frank Act?
Would it be more appropriate for the Commission to measure
a market participant's level of swap activity by measuring notional
turnover and/or open exposure, as suggested by some commenters? \46\
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\46\ Letter from Adam C. Cooper, Citadel, dated June 3, 2011,
Appendix B.
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Are there any anticompetitive implications to the proposed
compliance schedules? If so, how could the proposed rules be
implemented to achieve the purposes of the CEA in a less
anticompetitive manner? If so, please quantify those costs, if
possible, and provide underlying data sources, assumptions and
calculations.
Are there additional costs or benefits associated with the
current proposal that the Commission has not already taken into
account? Please discuss any such costs in detail and quantify in dollar
terms, if possible.
Are there any assumptions, including quantitative
assumptions, underlying the Commission's cost benefit analysis that the
Commission should consider?
Should the Commission consider an alternative
implementation schedule? Would such an alternative schedule reduce the
costs market participants bear? Please describe any such alternative
implementation schedule in detail, including how it will reduce costs
and the benefits it will likely deliver. If possible, please quantify
the cost and benefits associated with any alternative. If providing
dollar values, please describe any data sources, assumptions, and
calculations used to generate them.
III. Related Matters
A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
The Regulatory Flexibility Act requires that agencies consider
whether the rules they propose will have a significant economic impact
on a substantial number of small entities and, if so, provide a
regulatory flexibility analysis respecting the impact.\47\ The rules
proposed by the CFTC provide compliance schedules for
[[Page 58193]]
certain new statutory requirements of the Dodd Frank Act and do not by
themselves impose significant new regulatory requirements. Accordingly,
the Chairman, on behalf of the CFTC, hereby certifies pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 605(b) that the proposed rules will not have a significant
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The CFTC
invites public comment on this determination.
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\47\ 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
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B. Paperwork Reduction Act
The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) \48\ imposes certain requirements
on federal agencies (including the Commission) in connection with
conducting or sponsoring any collection of information as defined by
the PRA. This notice of proposed rulemaking, if approved, would not
require a new collection of information from any persons or entities.
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\48\ 44 U.S.C. 3507(d).
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C. Consideration of Costs and Benefits
Section 15(a) of the CEA \49\ requires the Commission to consider
the costs and benefits of its action before promulgating a regulation
under the CEA. Section 15(a) of the CEA specifies that the costs and
benefits shall be evaluated in light of five broad areas of market and
public concern: (1) Protection of market participants and the public;
(2) efficiency, competitiveness and financial integrity of futures
markets; (3) price discovery; (4) sound risk management practices; and
(5) other public interest considerations. The Commission may in its
discretion give greater weight to any one of the five enumerated areas
and could in its discretion determine that, notwithstanding its costs,
a particular regulation is necessary or appropriate to protect the
public interest or to effectuate any of the provisions or accomplish
any of the purposes of the Act.
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\49\ 7 U.S.C. 19(a).
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The purpose of the proposed compliance schedules is to afford
market participants adequate time to comply with the clearing
requirement under section 2(h)(1)(A) of the CEA and the trade execution
requirements under section 2(h)(8). Without the proposed compliance
schedules, market participants could be required to comply with the
clearing requirement immediately upon issuance of a mandatory clearing
determination by the Commission, and market participants could be
required to comply with the trade execution requirement when (1) The
Commission has issued a determination that the swap is required to be
cleared and (2) any DCM or SEF has made the swap available to trade.
The Commission recognizes that requiring such immediate compliance
with the clearing and trade execution requirements may impose costs on
market participants, particularly for market participants that may not
be registered with the Commission and those market participants that
have hundreds or thousands of third-party subaccounts to bring into
compliance with the new requirements under section 2(h) of the CEA.\50\
Accordingly, the Commission's proposal provides substantial benefits in
that it affords market participants additional time to document new
clearing arrangements, connect to market infrastructures, and prepare
themselves and their customers for the new regulatory requirements. The
Commission believes that such an approach will help protect the public
interest by facilitating an orderly transition to a new regulatory
environment.
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\50\ E.g., Letter from Richard H. Baker, Managed Funds
Association, dated Mar. 24, 2011 at Appendix 1, page 1.
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1. Protection of Market Participants and the Public
In devising the proposed compliance schedules, the Commission
sought to balance the goal of protecting the public by bringing market
participants into compliance with the clearing and trade execution
requirements for swaps as quickly as possible while affording market
participants adequate time to come into compliance.
Market participants in Category 1 (e.g., SDs, MSPs, and active
funds) are likely to be among the most experienced and active
participants with the resources needed to come into compliance with the
clearing and trading requirements more quickly.\51\ The swaps entered
into by these market participants are likely to represent a significant
portion of the total swap market volume. As a result, moving these
transactions into central clearing and onto trading platforms before
those of Category 2 and 3 Entities would provide additional protection
for the public by ensuring that the most active participants in the
swap market come into compliance as soon as possible, thus mitigating
risk and promoting transparency in significant portions of the swap
market.
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\51\ In a letter from the Financial Services Forum, Futures
Industry Association, International Swaps and Derivatives
Association, and Securities Industry and Financial Markets
Association, dated May 4, 2011, commenters noted that ``market
participants vary dramatically in their resources, market
sophistication and rationale for using Swaps. Swap Entities, in
general, have greater resources, access to technology and clearing
infrastructure than their end user counterparties.''
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By requiring Category 2 Entities to comply within 180 days, the
Commission is seeking to balance the needs of those market participants
that are not registered with the Commission and may not be as active in
the swap market with the public interest of bringing all market
participants into compliance as soon as possible.
The market participants in Category 2 are likely to be less
experienced and less active participants than those in Category 1. To
the extent these market participants are less active in the swap
markets the balance between moving their transactions into central
clearing and onto trading platforms and giving them additional time to
comply with the new requirements, tips in favor of the latter approach.
Additionally, these entities may not have the same level of resources
as Category 1 Entities. Therefore, they will benefit from the
opportunity to document new clearing arrangements, connect to market
infrastructures, and prepare themselves and their customers for the new
regulatory requirements by considering examples of how Category 1
Entities have met these requirements.
It should be noted that Category 2 Entities and other market
participants wanting to come into compliance before their respective
compliance schedule deadlines in order to take advantage of the risk-
mitigating benefits of central clearing and executing swaps on trading
platforms are allowed, and encouraged, to do so.
Entities that are third-party subaccounts have the additional
challenge of transitioning hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of
subaccounts into compliance with the clearing and trade execution
requirements. This process may require that these entities negotiate
and formalize new agreements with each of their customers. In order to
accomplish this they also will need to educate their customers about
how clearing and trade execution requirements will affect the costs and
processes associated with their accounts. Each of these tasks requires
time. By giving third-party subaccounts 270 days to come into
compliance, the Commission seeks to balance the need of these entities
and their customers for additional time with the benefits of reducing
risks in the swap market and protecting the public as quickly as
possible.
It may be that the Category 1 Entities that constitute the first
phase under the proposed compliance schedules will bear a larger
proportion of the ``start-up''
[[Page 58194]]
costs associated with implementing the clearing and trade execution
requirements. They are the entities likely to expend the most resources
documenting new clearing arrangements, connecting to market
infrastructures, and preparing themselves and their customers for the
new regulatory requirements. The Commission is aware of these costs and
believes that it is appropriate for the entities that are likely to be
among the most active participants in these markets to shoulder a
larger percentage of these start-up costs.
2. Efficiency, Competitiveness, and Financial Integrity of the Markets
By necessity, the first group of market participants that are
required to comply with the clearing and trade execution requirements,
along with DCOs, DCMs, and SEFs, are likely to work together to
establish methods for compliance that other market participants may
later consider. The experience with swaps that the first group of
market participants brings to this process should help to ensure the
integrity and effectiveness of their solutions. These solutions will
likely be helpful to other market participants that comply later. For
example,