Commodity Futures Trading Commission 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the ``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is issuing for public comment this proposed guidance regarding the listing for trading of voluntary carbon credit (``VCC'') derivative contracts. Specifically, the Commission is proposing to issue guidance to outline factors that designated contract markets (``DCMs'') should consider when addressing certain provisions of the Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA''), and CFTC regulations thereunder, that are relevant to the listing for trading of VCC derivative contracts. The Commission recognizes that VCC derivatives are a comparatively new and evolving class of products, and believes that guidance that outlines factors for a DCM to consider in connection with product design and listing may help to advance the standardization of such products in a manner that promotes transparency and liquidity. The Commission requests comment on this proposed guidance and further invites comment on specific questions related to the listing for trading of VCC derivative contracts.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announces that on January 8, 2024, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, the Technology Advisory Committee (TAC or Committee) will hold an in- person public meeting at the CFTC's Washington, DC headquarters with options for the public to attend virtually. At this meeting, the TAC will discuss digital assets and blockchain technology, cybersecurity, and emerging and evolving technologies.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the extension of a proposed collection of certain information by the agency. In compliance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment in response to the notice. This notice solicits comments, as described below, on the proposed Information Collection Request (``ICR'') titled: Copies of Crop and Market Information Reports.

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.

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.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announces that on December 11, 2023, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (eastern standard time), the Market Risk Advisory Committee (MRAC or Committee) will hold an in-person public meeting at the CFTC's Washington, DC headquarters, with options for the public to attend virtually. At this meeting, the MRAC will discuss current topics and developments in the areas of central counterparty risk and governance, market structure, climate- related risk, and innovative and emerging technologies affecting the derivatives and related financial markets.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or ``Commission'') charges fees to designated contract markets and registered futures associations to recover the costs incurred by the Commission in the operation of its program of oversight of self- regulatory organization rule enforcement programs, specifically the National Futures Association (``NFA''), a registered futures association, and the designated contract markets. Fees collected from each self-regulatory organization are deposited in the Treasury of the United States as miscellaneous receipts. The calculation of the fee amounts charged for 2022 by this document is based upon an average of actual program costs incurred during fiscal year (``FY'') 2019, FY 2020, and FY 2021.

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.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) published a notice in the Federal Register on September 8, 2023, concerning a meeting of the Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC or Committee) that was scheduled to occur on October 5, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time). The September 8, 2023 notice is hereby amended to announce that the GMAC meeting has been rescheduled to November 6, 2023, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Eastern Time). The meeting will remain open to the public with options to attend in-person and virtually. The agenda for the meeting remains unchanged. At this meeting, the GMAC will hear a presentation from the GMAC's Global Market Structure Subcommittee on the Subcommittee's workstreams involving U.S. Treasury market reforms, global standards and best practices for market volatility controls and circuit breakers, improving liquidity across asset classes, and international alignment of trading and clearing obligations to address market fragmentation, and consider recommendations from the Subcommittee on such workstreams. At this meeting, the GMAC will also hear a presentation from the GMAC's Technical Issues Subcommittee on the Subcommittee's workstreams involving international standardization and amalgamation of trade reporting for swaps market oversight, global coordination of market events, and improving efficiencies in post-trade processes, and consider recommendations from the Subcommittee on such workstreams. Additionally, the GMAC will hear a presentation from the GMAC's Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee on the Subcommittee's workstreams involving industry standards and best practices for tokenized asset markets, the regulation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and utility tokens, and identification of other issues to address in digital finance and tokenization of assets, non-financial activities and Web3, and blockchain technology and consider recommendations from the Subcommittee on such workstreams. Finally, the GMAC will also address procedural matters, including topics of discussion on a forward-looking basis.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC or Commission) is requesting nominations for Associate Members of the Energy and Environmental Markets Advisory Committee (EEMAC or Committee). The EEMAC is an advisory committee established by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection, and to allow 60 days for public comment. This notice solicits comments on collections of information provided for by part 40 of the Commission's regulations, Provisions Common to Registered Entities.

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 burdens.

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.

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.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announces that on October 5, 2023, 2023, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Daylight Time), the Global Markets Advisory Committee (GMAC or Committee) will hold an in-person meeting for GMAC members at the CFTC's Washington, DC headquarters, with options for the public to attend in-person and virtually. At this meeting, the GMAC will hear a presentation from the GMAC's Global Market Structure Subcommittee on the Subcommittee's workstreams involving U.S. Treasury market reforms, global standards and best practices for market volatility controls and circuit breakers, improving liquidity across asset classes, and international alignment of trading and clearing obligations to address market fragmentation, and consider recommendations from the Subcommittee on such workstreams. At this meeting, the GMAC will also hear a presentation from the GMAC's Technical Issues Subcommittee on the Subcommittee's workstreams involving international standardization and amalgamation of trade reporting for swaps market oversight, global coordination of market events, and improving efficiencies in post-trade processes, and consider recommendations from the Subcommittee on such workstreams. Additionally, the GMAC will hear a presentation from the GMAC's Digital Asset Markets Subcommittee on the Subcommittee's workstreams involving industry standards and best practices for tokenized asset markets, the regulation of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and utility tokens, and identification of other issues to address in digital finance and tokenization of assets, non-financial activities and Web3, and blockchain technology and consider recommendations from the Subcommittee on such workstreams. Finally, the GMAC will also address procedural matters, including topics of discussion on a forward-looking basis.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or ``Commission'') is announcing an opportunity for public comment on the proposed renewal of a collection of certain information by the agency. Under the Paperwork Reduction Act (``PRA''), Federal agencies are required to publish notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including proposed extension of an existing collection of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment. This notice solicits comments on the proposed extension of the existing collection of information relating to Cleared Swaps Customer Collateral.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (Commission or CFTC) is proposing amendments to its swap execution facility (SEF) regulations related to uncleared swap confirmations, as well as associated technical and conforming changes.

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.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is proposing to amend the margin requirements for uncleared swaps applicable to swap dealers (``SDs'') and major swap participants (``MSPs'') for which there is no prudential regulator. The proposed amendment would revise the definition of ``margin affiliate'' to provide that certain collective investment vehicles (``investment funds'' or ``funds'') that receive all of their start-up capital, or a portion thereof, from a sponsor entity (``seeded funds'') would be deemed not to have any margin affiliates for the purposes of calculating certain thresholds that trigger the requirement to exchange initial margin (``IM'') for uncleared swaps. This proposed amendment (``Seeded Funds Proposal'') would effectively relieve SDs and MSPs from the requirement to post and collect IM with certain eligible seeded funds for their uncleared swaps for a period of three years from the date on which the eligible seeded fund's asset manager first begins making investments on behalf of the fund (``trading inception date''). The Commission is also proposing to eliminate a provision disqualifying the securities issued by certain pooled investment funds (``money market and similar funds'') that transfer their assets through securities lending, securities borrowing, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and similar arrangements from being used as eligible IM collateral, thereby expanding the scope of assets that qualify as eligible collateral (``Money Market Funds Proposal''). Additionally, the Commission is proposing an amendment to the haircut schedule set forth in a Commission Regulation to add a footnote that was inadvertently omitted when the rule was originally promulgated.