Commodity Futures Trading Commission November 2005 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

This Request for Comments (``Request'') continues the Commission's ongoing review of self-regulation and self-regulatory organizations in the U.S. futures industry (``SRO Study''). The Request seeks public comment on a range of SRO issues, including governance, minimizing conflicts of interest within self-regulation, the composition of SROs' boards of directors and disciplinary committees, and the impact of increasing competition, changing business models and new ownership structures on SROs' self-regulatory responsibilities.\2\ Commenters are also asked to consider the impact of securities exchanges' listing standards and the unique role of registered futures associations (``RFAs'') and other third-party regulatory service providers. The questions presented update the Commission's prior fact- finding on self-regulation, build on industry developments since that time, and offer interested parties an additional opportunity to comment as the SRO Study nears conclusion. The questions raised in this Request will also form the basis of an upcoming Commission roundtable on self- regulation. The roundtable will provide a forum for industry participants to present their views on both the challenges and opportunities of self-regulation in a rapidly evolving futures industry.