Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review, 64455-64457 [2022-23195]
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 25, 2022 / Notices
October 28, 2022 through November 3,
2022.
The SDEIS is available in electronic
form on the internet at the following
address: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/
west-coast/marine-mammal-protection/
makah-tribal-whale-hunt. In addition,
copies of the SDEIS are available on CD
by contacting Grace Ferrara (see FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT).
Dated: October 19, 2022.
Kimberly Damon-Randall,
Director, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service.
[FR Doc. 2022–23112 Filed 10–24–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510–22–P
COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
COMMISSION
Agency Information Collection
Activities Under OMB Review
Commodity Futures Trading
Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
AGENCY:
In compliance with the
Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(‘‘PRA’’), this notice announces that the
Information Collection Request (‘‘ICR’’)
abstracted below has been forwarded to
the Office of Information and Regulatory
Affairs (‘‘OIRA’’) of the Office of
Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) for
review and comment. The ICR describes
the nature of the information collection
and its expected costs and burden.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on
or before November 25, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be
submitted within 30 days of this
notice’s publication to OIRA, at https://
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
Please find this particular information
collection by selecting ‘‘Currently under
30-day Review—Open for Public
Comments’’ or by using the website’s
search function. Comments can be
entered electronically by clicking on the
‘‘comment’’ button next to the
information collection on the ‘‘OIRA
Information Collections Under Review’’
page, or the ‘‘View ICR—Agency
Submission’’ page. A copy of the
supporting statement for the collection
of information discussed herein may be
obtained by visiting https://
www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
In addition to the submission of
comments to https://Reginfo.gov as
indicated above, a copy of all comments
submitted to OIRA may also be
submitted to the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (the
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SUMMARY:
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‘‘Commission’’ or ‘‘CFTC’’) by clicking
on the ‘‘Submit Comment’’ box next to
the descriptive entry for OMB Control
No. 3038–0111, at https://
comments.cftc.gov/FederalRegister/
PublicInfo.aspx.
Or by either of the following methods:
• Mail: Christopher Kirkpatrick,
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.
All comments must be submitted in
English, or if not, accompanied by an
English translation. Comments
submitted to the Commission should
include only information that you wish
to make available publicly. If you wish
the Commission to consider information
that you believe is exempt from
disclosure under the Freedom of
Information Act, a petition for
confidential treatment of the exempt
information may be submitted according
to the procedures established in § 145.9
of the Commission’s Regulations.1 The
Commission reserves the right, but shall
have no obligation, to review, prescreen, 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
ICR will be retained in the public
comment file and will be considered as
required under the Administrative
Procedure Act and other applicable
laws, and may be accessible under the
Freedom of Information Act.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dina
Moussa, Attorney Advisor, Market
Participants Division, Commodity
Futures Trading Commission, (202)
418–5696 or dmoussa@cftc.gov, and
refer to OMB Control No. 3038–0111.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Margin Requirements for
Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and
Major Swap Participants—Cross-Border
Application of the Margin Requirements
(OMB Control No. 3038–0111). This is
a request for an extension of a currently
approved information collection.
Abstract: Section 731 of the DoddFrank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act,2 amended the
Commodity Exchange Act (‘‘CEA’’), 7
U.S.C. 1 et seq., to add, as Section 4s(e)
thereof, provisions concerning the
setting of initial and variation margin
1 17
CFR 145.9.
Law 111–023, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
requirements for swap dealers (‘‘SDs’’)
and major swap participants (‘‘MSPs’’).3
Each SD and MSP for which there is a
Prudential Regulator, as defined in
Section 1a(39) of the CEA,4 must meet
margin requirements established by the
applicable Prudential Regulator, and
each SD and MSP for which there is no
Prudential Regulator (‘‘Covered Swap
Entities’’ or ‘‘CSEs’’) must comply with
the Commission’s Regulations governing
margin on all swaps that are not
centrally cleared.
With regard to the cross-border
application of the Commission’s margin
rules, Section 2(i) 5 of the CEA provides
the Commission with express authority
over activities outside the United States
relating to swaps when certain
conditions are met. Section 2(i) of the
CEA provides that the provisions of the
CEA relating to swaps that were enacted
by the Wall Street Transparency and
Accountability Act of 2010 (including
any rule prescribed or regulation
promulgated under that Act), shall not
apply to activities outside the United
States unless those activities (1) have a
direct and significant connection with
activities in, or effect on, commerce of
the United States or (2) contravene such
rules or regulations as the Commission
may prescribe or promulgate as are
necessary or appropriate to prevent the
evasion of any provision of the CEA that
was enacted by the Wall Street
Transparency and Accountability Act of
2010.
On May 31, 2016, the Commission
published the Commission’s Margin
Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for
Swap Dealers and Major Swap
Participants—Cross-Border Application
of the Margin Requirements (‘‘Final
Rule’’) addressing the cross-border
application of its margin requirements
for uncleared swaps applicable to
CSEs.6 The Final Rule contains a
collection of information under
Commission Regulation 23.160(c)
regarding requests for comparability
determinations, and information
collections regarding non-netting
jurisdictions,7 and non-segregation
jurisdictions.8
37
U.S.C. 6s(e).
U.S.C. 1a(39).
5 7 U.S.C. 2(i).
6 81 FR 34818 (May 31, 2016).
7 As used in the adopting release, a ‘‘non-netting
jurisdiction’’ is a jurisdiction in which a CSE
cannot conclude, with a well-founded basis, that
the netting agreement with a counterparty in that
foreign jurisdiction meets the definition of an
‘‘eligible master netting agreement’’ set forth in
Commission Regulation 23.151, and as described in
Section II.B.5.b of the adopting release.
8 As used in the adopting release, a ‘‘nonsegregation jurisdiction’’ is a jurisdiction where
47
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 25, 2022 / Notices
Under Commission Regulation
23.160(c)(1), a CSE that is eligible for
substituted compliance or a foreign
regulatory agency that has direct
supervisory authority over one or more
CSEs and that is responsible for
administering the relevant foreign
jurisdiction’s margin requirements may
request, individually or collectively,
that the Commission make a
determination that a CSE that complies
with margin requirements in the
relevant foreign jurisdiction would be
deemed to be in compliance with the
Commission’s corresponding margin
rule (a ‘‘comparability determination’’).
Once a comparability determination is
made for a jurisdiction, it applies for all
entities or transactions in that
jurisdiction to the extent provided in
the comparability determination, as
approved by the Commission and
subject to any conditions specified by
the Commission. All CSEs, regardless of
whether they rely on a comparability
determination, remain subject to the
Commission’s examination and
enforcement authority.
Commission Regulation 23.160(c)(2)
requires that applicants for a
comparability determination provide
copies of the relevant foreign
jurisdiction’s margin requirements and
descriptions of their objectives, how
they differ from the margin policy
framework for non-cleared, bilateral
derivatives set forth by the Basel
Committee on Banking Supervision and
the International Organization of
Securities Commissions, and how they
address the elements of the
Commission’s margin requirements. The
applicant must identify the specific
legal and regulatory provisions of the
foreign jurisdiction’s margin
requirements that correspond to each
element and, if necessary, whether the
relevant foreign jurisdiction’s margin
requirements do not address a particular
element.
Commission Regulation 23.160(d)
includes a special provision for nonnetting jurisdictions. This provision
allows CSEs that cannot conclude after
sufficient legal review with a wellfounded basis that the netting agreement
with a counterparty in a foreign
jurisdiction meets the definition of an
‘‘eligible master netting agreement’’ set
forth in Commission Regulation 23.151
to nevertheless net uncleared swaps in
determining the amount of margin that
inherent limitations in the legal or operational
infrastructure of the foreign jurisdiction make it
impracticable for the CSE and its counterparty to
post initial margin pursuant to custodial
arrangements that comply with the Commission’s
margin rules, as further described in Section II.B.4.b
of the adopting release.
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they post, provided that certain
conditions are met. In order to avail
itself of this special provision, a CSE
must treat the uncleared swaps covered
by the agreement on a gross basis in
determining the amount of initial and
variation margin that it must collect, but
may net those uncleared swaps in
determining the amount of initial and
variation margin it must post to the
counterparty, in accordance with the
netting provisions of Commission
Regulations 23.152(c) and 23.153(d). A
CSE that enters into uncleared swaps in
‘‘non-netting’’ jurisdictions in reliance
on this provision must have policies
and procedures ensuring that it
complies with the special provision’s
requirements, and maintain books and
records properly documenting that all of
the requirements of this exception are
satisfied.
Commission Regulation 23.160(e)
includes a special provision for nonsegregation jurisdictions that allows
non-U.S. CSEs that are Foreign
Consolidated Subsidiaries (‘‘FCS’’) (as
defined in Commission Regulation
23.160(a)(1)) and foreign branches of
U.S. CSEs to engage in swaps in foreign
jurisdictions where inherent limitations
in the legal or operational infrastructure
make it impracticable for the CSE and
its counterparty to post collateral in
compliance with the custodial
arrangement requirements of the
Commission’s margin rules, subject to
certain conditions. In order to rely on
this special provision, a FCS or foreign
branch of a U.S. CSE is required to
satisfy all of the conditions of the rule,
including that (1) inherent limitations in
the legal or operational infrastructure of
the foreign jurisdiction make it
impracticable for the CSE and its
counterparty to post any form of eligible
initial margin collateral for the
uncleared swap pursuant to custodial
arrangements that comply with the
Commission’s margin rules; (2) foreign
regulatory restrictions require the CSE
to transact in uncleared swaps with the
counterparty through an establishment
within the foreign jurisdiction and do
not permit the posting of collateral for
the swap in compliance with the
custodial arrangements of Commission
Regulation 23.157 in the United States
or a jurisdiction for which the
Commission has issued a comparability
determination under Commission
Regulation 23.160(c) with respect to
Commission Regulation 23.157; (3) the
CSE’s counterparty is not a U.S. person
and is not a CSE, and the counterparty’s
obligations under the uncleared swap
are not guaranteed by a U.S. person; (4)
the CSE collects initial margin in cash
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on a gross basis, and posts and collects
variation margin in cash, for the
uncleared swap in accordance with
specific requirements; (5) for each broad
risk category, as set out in Commission
Regulation 23.154(b)(2)(v), the total
outstanding notional value of all
uncleared swaps in that broad risk
category, as to which the CSE is relying
on Commission Regulation 23.160(e),
may not exceed 5 percent of the CSE’s
total outstanding notional value for all
uncleared swaps in the same broad risk
category; (6) the CSE has policies and
procedures ensuring that it is in
compliance with the requirements of
this provision; and (7) the CSE
maintains books and records properly
documenting that all of the
requirements of this provision are
satisfied.
An agency may not conduct or
sponsor, and a person is not required to
respond to, a collection of information
unless it displays a currently valid OMB
control number. On August 5, 2022, the
Commission published in the Federal
Register notice of the proposed
extension of this information collection
and provided 60 days for public
comment on the proposed renewal, 87
FR 48001 (‘‘60-Day Notice’’). The
Commission received no relevant
comments on the 60-Day Notice.9
• Burden Statement—Information
Collection for Comparability
Determinations:
The Commission estimates that
approximately 53 CSEs may request a
comparability determination pursuant
to Commission Regulation 23.160(c).10
The Commission notes that any foreign
regulatory agency that has direct
supervisory authority over one or more
CSEs and that is responsible for
administering the relevant foreign
jurisdiction’s margin requirements may
also apply for a comparability
determination. However, once a
comparability determination is made for
a jurisdiction, it will apply for all
entities or transactions in that
jurisdiction to the extent provided in
the determination, as approved by the
Commission. To date, the Commission
9 The Commission received one comment from
William J. Harrington on October 4, 2022. See
Comment of William J. Harrington (Oct. 4, 2022).
The comment is not relevant to the Commission’s
Paperwork Reduction Act analysis, including its
cost and hour burden estimates, but instead
advocates for an unrelated change to the
Commission Regulations referenced above.
10 Currently, there are approximately 108 swap
entities provisionally registered with the
Commission. The Commission estimates that of the
approximately 108 swap entities that are
provisionally registered, approximately 53 are CSEs
for which there is no Prudential Regulator, and are
therefore subject to the Commission’s margin rules.
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Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 205 / Tuesday, October 25, 2022 / Notices
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has issued a comparability
determination for 3 jurisdictions.11
Accordingly, the Commission estimates
that it will receive requests from the 13
remaining jurisdictions within the
G20,12 in addition to Switzerland. The
number of burden hours associated with
such requests is estimated to be 40
hours. Accordingly, the respondent
burden for this collection is estimated to
be as follows:
Estimated Number of Respondents:
14.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per
Respondent: 40.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 560.
Frequency of Collection: Once.
There are no capital costs or operating
and maintenance costs associated with
this collection.
• Burden Statement—Information
Collection for Non-Netting Jurisdictions:
The Commission is revising its
estimate of the burden for this collection
to reflect the current number of
registrants subject to the Commission’s
margin requirements for uncleared
swaps. Specifically, the Commission
estimates that approximately 53 CSEs
may rely on Commission Regulation
23.160(d).13 Furthermore, the
Commission estimates that these CSEs
would incur an average of 10 annual
burden hours to maintain books and
records properly documenting that all of
the requirements of this exception are
satisfied (including policies and
procedures ensuring compliance).
Accordingly, the respondent burden for
this collection is estimated to be as
follows:
Estimated Number of Respondents:
53.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per
Respondent: 10.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 530.
11 See Comparability Determination for Japan:
Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for
Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants, 81 FR
63376 (Sep. 15, 2016); Comparability Determination
for the European Union: Margin Requirements for
Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap
Participants, 82 FR 48394 (Oct. 18, 2017); and
Comparability Determination for Australia: Margin
Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap
Dealers and Major Swap Participants, 84 FR 12908
(Apr. 3, 2019). The Commission subsequently
amended its comparability determination for Japan.
See Amendment to Comparability Determination
for Japan: Margin Requirements for Uncleared
Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap
Participants, 84 FR 12074 (Apr. 1, 2019).
12 The Group of 20 (‘‘G20’’) is comprised of
foreign leaders and central bank managers from the
top 19 countries with the largest economies along
with the European Union.
13 See n.9, supra. Because all of these CSEs are
eligible to use the special provision for non-netting
jurisdictions, the Commission estimates that 53
CSEs may rely on Commission Regulation
23.160(d).
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16:52 Oct 24, 2022
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Frequency of Collection: Once; As
needed.
There are no capital costs or operating
and maintenance costs associated with
this collection.
• Burden Statement—Information
Collection for Non-Segregation
Jurisdictions:
The Commission estimates that there
are eight jurisdictions for which the first
two conditions specified above for nonsegregation jurisdictions are satisfied
and where FCSs and foreign branches of
U.S. CSEs that are subject to the
Commission’s margin rules may engage
in swaps. The Commission estimates
that approximately 12 FCSs or foreign
branches of U.S. CSEs may rely on
Commission Regulation 23.160(e) in
some or all of these jurisdictions. The
Commission estimates that each FCS or
foreign branch of a U.S. CSE relying on
this provision would incur an average of
20 annual burden hours to maintain
books and records properly
documenting that all of the
requirements of this provision are
satisfied (including policies and
procedures for ensuring compliance)
with respect to each jurisdiction as to
which they rely on the special
provision. Thus, based on the estimate
of eight non-segregation jurisdictions,
the Commission estimates that each of
the approximately 12 FCSs and foreign
branches of U.S. CSEs that may rely on
this provision will incur an estimated
160 average burden hours per year (i.e.,
20 average burden hours per jurisdiction
multiplied by 8). Accordingly, the
respondent burden for this collection is
estimated to be as follows:
Estimated Number of Respondents:
12.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per
Respondent: 160.
Estimated Total Annual Burden
Hours: 1,920.
Frequency of Collection: Once; As
needed.
There are no capital costs or operating
and maintenance costs associated with
this collection.
(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
Dated: October 20, 2022.
Robert Sidman,
Deputy Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2022–23195 Filed 10–24–22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6351–01–P
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64457
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army
[Docket ID: USA–2022–HQ–0009]
Submission for OMB Review;
Comment Request
Department of the Army,
Department of Defense (DoD).
ACTION: 30-Day information collection
notice.
AGENCY:
The DoD has submitted to the
Office of Management and Budget
(OMB) for clearance the following
proposal for collection of information
under the provisions of the Paperwork
Reduction Act.
DATES: Consideration will be given to all
comments received by November 25,
2022.
SUMMARY:
Written comments and
recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent
within 30 days of publication of this
notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/
PRAMain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting
‘‘Currently under 30-day Review—Open
for Public Comments’’ or by using the
search function.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Angela Duncan, 571–372–7574, whs.mcalex.esd.mbx.dd-dod-informationcollections@mail.mil.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title; Associated Form; and OMB
Number: Exchange Security Verification
for Contractors/Vendors; Exchange
Forms 3900–002, 3900–006, and 3900–
013; OMB Control Number 0702–0135.
Type of Request: Extension without
change.
Number of Respondents: 2,900.
Responses per Respondent: 1.
Annual Responses: 2,900.
Average Burden per Response: 30
minutes.
Annual Burden Hours: 1,450.
Needs and Uses: The information
collection requirement is necessary for
the processing of all Army and Air
Force Exchange Service (Exchange)
security clearance actions, to record
security clearances issued or denied,
and to verify eligibility for access to
classified information or assignments to
sensitive positions. Respondents are
individuals and/or households affiliated
with the Exchange by assignment,
employment contractual relationship, or
because of an inter-service support
agreement on which personnel security
clearance determination has been
completed or is pending. In addition to
utilizing the information for processing
security clearances, the information may
ADDRESSES:
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Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 205 (Tuesday, October 25, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64455-64457]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-23195]
=======================================================================
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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION
Agency Information Collection Activities Under OMB Review
AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995
(``PRA''), this notice announces that the Information Collection
Request (``ICR'') abstracted below has been forwarded to the Office of
Information and Regulatory Affairs (``OIRA'') of the Office of
Management and Budget (``OMB'') for review and comment. The ICR
describes the nature of the information collection and its expected
costs and burden.
DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 25, 2022.
ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be submitted within 30 days of this
notice's publication to OIRA, at https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain. Please find this particular information collection by
selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--Open for Public Comments''
or by using the website's search function. Comments can be entered
electronically by clicking on the ``comment'' button next to the
information collection on the ``OIRA Information Collections Under
Review'' page, or the ``View ICR--Agency Submission'' page. A copy of
the supporting statement for the collection of information discussed
herein may be obtained by visiting https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain.
In addition to the submission of comments to https://Reginfo.gov as
indicated above, a copy of all comments submitted to OIRA may also be
submitted to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the
``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') by clicking on the ``Submit Comment'' box
next to the descriptive entry for OMB Control No. 3038-0111, at https://comments.cftc.gov/FederalRegister/PublicInfo.aspx.
Or by either of the following methods:
Mail: Christopher Kirkpatrick, 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.
All comments must be submitted in English, or if not, accompanied
by an English translation. Comments submitted to the Commission should
include only information that you wish to make available publicly. If
you wish the Commission to consider information that you believe is
exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act, a petition
for confidential treatment of the exempt information may be submitted
according to the procedures established in Sec. 145.9 of the
Commission's Regulations.\1\ 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 ICR will be retained in the
public comment file and will be considered as required under the
Administrative Procedure Act and other applicable laws, and may be
accessible under the Freedom of Information Act.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ 17 CFR 145.9.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dina Moussa, Attorney Advisor, Market
Participants Division, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, (202) 418-
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5696 or [email protected], and refer to OMB Control No. 3038-0111.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title: Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and
Major Swap Participants--Cross-Border Application of the Margin
Requirements (OMB Control No. 3038-0111). This is a request for an
extension of a currently approved information collection.
Abstract: Section 731 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and
Consumer Protection Act,\2\ amended the Commodity Exchange Act
(``CEA''), 7 U.S.C. 1 et seq., to add, as Section 4s(e) thereof,
provisions concerning the setting of initial and variation margin
requirements for swap dealers (``SDs'') and major swap participants
(``MSPs'').\3\ Each SD and MSP for which there is a Prudential
Regulator, as defined in Section 1a(39) of the CEA,\4\ must meet margin
requirements established by the applicable Prudential Regulator, and
each SD and MSP for which there is no Prudential Regulator (``Covered
Swap Entities'' or ``CSEs'') must comply with the Commission's
Regulations governing margin on all swaps that are not centrally
cleared.
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\2\ Public Law 111-023, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
\3\ 7 U.S.C. 6s(e).
\4\ 7 U.S.C. 1a(39).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
With regard to the cross-border application of the Commission's
margin rules, Section 2(i) \5\ of the CEA provides the Commission with
express authority over activities outside the United States relating to
swaps when certain conditions are met. Section 2(i) of the CEA provides
that the provisions of the CEA relating to swaps that were enacted by
the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act of 2010 (including
any rule prescribed or regulation promulgated under that Act), shall
not apply to activities outside the United States unless those
activities (1) have a direct and significant connection with activities
in, or effect on, commerce of the United States or (2) contravene such
rules or regulations as the Commission may prescribe or promulgate as
are necessary or appropriate to prevent the evasion of any provision of
the CEA that was enacted by the Wall Street Transparency and
Accountability Act of 2010.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ 7 U.S.C. 2(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
On May 31, 2016, the Commission published the Commission's Margin
Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap
Participants--Cross-Border Application of the Margin Requirements
(``Final Rule'') addressing the cross-border application of its margin
requirements for uncleared swaps applicable to CSEs.\6\ The Final Rule
contains a collection of information under Commission Regulation
23.160(c) regarding requests for comparability determinations, and
information collections regarding non-netting jurisdictions,\7\ and
non-segregation jurisdictions.\8\
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\6\ 81 FR 34818 (May 31, 2016).
\7\ As used in the adopting release, a ``non-netting
jurisdiction'' is a jurisdiction in which a CSE cannot conclude,
with a well-founded basis, that the netting agreement with a
counterparty in that foreign jurisdiction meets the definition of an
``eligible master netting agreement'' set forth in Commission
Regulation 23.151, and as described in Section II.B.5.b of the
adopting release.
\8\ As used in the adopting release, a ``non-segregation
jurisdiction'' is a jurisdiction where inherent limitations in the
legal or operational infrastructure of the foreign jurisdiction make
it impracticable for the CSE and its counterparty to post initial
margin pursuant to custodial arrangements that comply with the
Commission's margin rules, as further described in Section II.B.4.b
of the adopting release.
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[[Page 64456]]
Under Commission Regulation 23.160(c)(1), a CSE that is eligible
for substituted compliance or a foreign regulatory agency that has
direct supervisory authority over one or more CSEs and that is
responsible for administering the relevant foreign jurisdiction's
margin requirements may request, individually or collectively, that the
Commission make a determination that a CSE that complies with margin
requirements in the relevant foreign jurisdiction would be deemed to be
in compliance with the Commission's corresponding margin rule (a
``comparability determination''). Once a comparability determination is
made for a jurisdiction, it applies for all entities or transactions in
that jurisdiction to the extent provided in the comparability
determination, as approved by the Commission and subject to any
conditions specified by the Commission. All CSEs, regardless of whether
they rely on a comparability determination, remain subject to the
Commission's examination and enforcement authority.
Commission Regulation 23.160(c)(2) requires that applicants for a
comparability determination provide copies of the relevant foreign
jurisdiction's margin requirements and descriptions of their
objectives, how they differ from the margin policy framework for non-
cleared, bilateral derivatives set forth by the Basel Committee on
Banking Supervision and the International Organization of Securities
Commissions, and how they address the elements of the Commission's
margin requirements. The applicant must identify the specific legal and
regulatory provisions of the foreign jurisdiction's margin requirements
that correspond to each element and, if necessary, whether the relevant
foreign jurisdiction's margin requirements do not address a particular
element.
Commission Regulation 23.160(d) includes a special provision for
non-netting jurisdictions. This provision allows CSEs that cannot
conclude after sufficient legal review with a well-founded basis that
the netting agreement with a counterparty in a foreign jurisdiction
meets the definition of an ``eligible master netting agreement'' set
forth in Commission Regulation 23.151 to nevertheless net uncleared
swaps in determining the amount of margin that they post, provided that
certain conditions are met. In order to avail itself of this special
provision, a CSE must treat the uncleared swaps covered by the
agreement on a gross basis in determining the amount of initial and
variation margin that it must collect, but may net those uncleared
swaps in determining the amount of initial and variation margin it must
post to the counterparty, in accordance with the netting provisions of
Commission Regulations 23.152(c) and 23.153(d). A CSE that enters into
uncleared swaps in ``non-netting'' jurisdictions in reliance on this
provision must have policies and procedures ensuring that it complies
with the special provision's requirements, and maintain books and
records properly documenting that all of the requirements of this
exception are satisfied.
Commission Regulation 23.160(e) includes a special provision for
non-segregation jurisdictions that allows non-U.S. CSEs that are
Foreign Consolidated Subsidiaries (``FCS'') (as defined in Commission
Regulation 23.160(a)(1)) and foreign branches of U.S. CSEs to engage in
swaps in foreign jurisdictions where inherent limitations in the legal
or operational infrastructure make it impracticable for the CSE and its
counterparty to post collateral in compliance with the custodial
arrangement requirements of the Commission's margin rules, subject to
certain conditions. In order to rely on this special provision, a FCS
or foreign branch of a U.S. CSE is required to satisfy all of the
conditions of the rule, including that (1) inherent limitations in the
legal or operational infrastructure of the foreign jurisdiction make it
impracticable for the CSE and its counterparty to post any form of
eligible initial margin collateral for the uncleared swap pursuant to
custodial arrangements that comply with the Commission's margin rules;
(2) foreign regulatory restrictions require the CSE to transact in
uncleared swaps with the counterparty through an establishment within
the foreign jurisdiction and do not permit the posting of collateral
for the swap in compliance with the custodial arrangements of
Commission Regulation 23.157 in the United States or a jurisdiction for
which the Commission has issued a comparability determination under
Commission Regulation 23.160(c) with respect to Commission Regulation
23.157; (3) the CSE's counterparty is not a U.S. person and is not a
CSE, and the counterparty's obligations under the uncleared swap are
not guaranteed by a U.S. person; (4) the CSE collects initial margin in
cash on a gross basis, and posts and collects variation margin in cash,
for the uncleared swap in accordance with specific requirements; (5)
for each broad risk category, as set out in Commission Regulation
23.154(b)(2)(v), the total outstanding notional value of all uncleared
swaps in that broad risk category, as to which the CSE is relying on
Commission Regulation 23.160(e), may not exceed 5 percent of the CSE's
total outstanding notional value for all uncleared swaps in the same
broad risk category; (6) the CSE has policies and procedures ensuring
that it is in compliance with the requirements of this provision; and
(7) the CSE maintains books and records properly documenting that all
of the requirements of this provision are satisfied.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a
currently valid OMB control number. On August 5, 2022, the Commission
published in the Federal Register notice of the proposed extension of
this information collection and provided 60 days for public comment on
the proposed renewal, 87 FR 48001 (``60-Day Notice''). The Commission
received no relevant comments on the 60-Day Notice.\9\
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\9\ The Commission received one comment from William J.
Harrington on October 4, 2022. See Comment of William J. Harrington
(Oct. 4, 2022). The comment is not relevant to the Commission's
Paperwork Reduction Act analysis, including its cost and hour burden
estimates, but instead advocates for an unrelated change to the
Commission Regulations referenced above.
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Burden Statement--Information Collection for Comparability
Determinations:
The Commission estimates that approximately 53 CSEs may request a
comparability determination pursuant to Commission Regulation
23.160(c).\10\ The Commission notes that any foreign regulatory agency
that has direct supervisory authority over one or more CSEs and that is
responsible for administering the relevant foreign jurisdiction's
margin requirements may also apply for a comparability determination.
However, once a comparability determination is made for a jurisdiction,
it will apply for all entities or transactions in that jurisdiction to
the extent provided in the determination, as approved by the
Commission. To date, the Commission
[[Page 64457]]
has issued a comparability determination for 3 jurisdictions.\11\
Accordingly, the Commission estimates that it will receive requests
from the 13 remaining jurisdictions within the G20,\12\ in addition to
Switzerland. The number of burden hours associated with such requests
is estimated to be 40 hours. Accordingly, the respondent burden for
this collection is estimated to be as follows:
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\10\ Currently, there are approximately 108 swap entities
provisionally registered with the Commission. The Commission
estimates that of the approximately 108 swap entities that are
provisionally registered, approximately 53 are CSEs for which there
is no Prudential Regulator, and are therefore subject to the
Commission's margin rules.
\11\ See Comparability Determination for Japan: Margin
Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap
Participants, 81 FR 63376 (Sep. 15, 2016); Comparability
Determination for the European Union: Margin Requirements for
Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants, 82 FR
48394 (Oct. 18, 2017); and Comparability Determination for
Australia: Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers
and Major Swap Participants, 84 FR 12908 (Apr. 3, 2019). The
Commission subsequently amended its comparability determination for
Japan. See Amendment to Comparability Determination for Japan:
Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major
Swap Participants, 84 FR 12074 (Apr. 1, 2019).
\12\ The Group of 20 (``G20'') is comprised of foreign leaders
and central bank managers from the top 19 countries with the largest
economies along with the European Union.
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Estimated Number of Respondents: 14.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per Respondent: 40.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 560.
Frequency of Collection: Once.
There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs
associated with this collection.
Burden Statement--Information Collection for Non-Netting
Jurisdictions:
The Commission is revising its estimate of the burden for this
collection to reflect the current number of registrants subject to the
Commission's margin requirements for uncleared swaps. Specifically, the
Commission estimates that approximately 53 CSEs may rely on Commission
Regulation 23.160(d).\13\ Furthermore, the Commission estimates that
these CSEs would incur an average of 10 annual burden hours to maintain
books and records properly documenting that all of the requirements of
this exception are satisfied (including policies and procedures
ensuring compliance). Accordingly, the respondent burden for this
collection is estimated to be as follows:
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\13\ See n.9, supra. Because all of these CSEs are eligible to
use the special provision for non-netting jurisdictions, the
Commission estimates that 53 CSEs may rely on Commission Regulation
23.160(d).
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Estimated Number of Respondents: 53.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per Respondent: 10.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 530.
Frequency of Collection: Once; As needed.
There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs
associated with this collection.
Burden Statement--Information Collection for Non-
Segregation Jurisdictions:
The Commission estimates that there are eight jurisdictions for
which the first two conditions specified above for non-segregation
jurisdictions are satisfied and where FCSs and foreign branches of U.S.
CSEs that are subject to the Commission's margin rules may engage in
swaps. The Commission estimates that approximately 12 FCSs or foreign
branches of U.S. CSEs may rely on Commission Regulation 23.160(e) in
some or all of these jurisdictions. The Commission estimates that each
FCS or foreign branch of a U.S. CSE relying on this provision would
incur an average of 20 annual burden hours to maintain books and
records properly documenting that all of the requirements of this
provision are satisfied (including policies and procedures for ensuring
compliance) with respect to each jurisdiction as to which they rely on
the special provision. Thus, based on the estimate of eight non-
segregation jurisdictions, the Commission estimates that each of the
approximately 12 FCSs and foreign branches of U.S. CSEs that may rely
on this provision will incur an estimated 160 average burden hours per
year (i.e., 20 average burden hours per jurisdiction multiplied by 8).
Accordingly, the respondent burden for this collection is estimated to
be as follows:
Estimated Number of Respondents: 12.
Estimated Average Burden Hours per Respondent: 160.
Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 1,920.
Frequency of Collection: Once; As needed.
There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs
associated with this collection.
(Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)
Dated: October 20, 2022.
Robert Sidman,
Deputy Secretary of the Commission.
[FR Doc. 2022-23195 Filed 10-24-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6351-01-P