2017-25304. Agency Information Collection Activities: Notice of Intent To Renew Collection 3038-0026, Gross Collection of Exchange-Set Margins for Omnibus Accounts

AGENCY:

Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) 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 of 1995 (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 of information, and to allow 60 days for public comment. This notice solicits comments on requirements relating to Gross Collection of Exchange-Set Margins for Omnibus Accounts.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before January 22, 2018.

ADDRESSES:

You may submit comments, identified by OMB Control Number 3038-0026, by any of the following methods:

• The Agency's Web site, at http://comments.cftc.gov/​. Follow the instructions for submitting comments through the Web site.
• 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.
• Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov/​. Follow the instructions for submitting comments through the Portal.

Please submit your comments using only one method.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mark Bretscher, Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, [phone]; email: [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA,^[1] Federal agencies must obtain approval from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for each collection of information they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) and includes agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. Section 3506(c)(2)(A) of the PRA, 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A), requires Federal agencies to provide a 60-day notice in the Federal Register concerning each proposed collection of information, including each proposed extension of an existing collection of information, before submitting the collection to OMB for approval. 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 number. To comply with this requirement, the CFTC is publishing notice of the proposed collection of information listed below.

Title: Gross Collection of Exchange-Set Margins for Omnibus Accounts, OMB Control Number 3038-0026. This is a request for extension of a currently approved information collection.

Abstract: Commission Regulation 1.58 requires that FCMs margin omnibus accounts on a gross, rather than a net, basis. The regulation provides that the carrying FCM need not collect margin for positions traded by a person through an omnibus account in excess of the amount that would be required if the same person, instead of trading through an omnibus account, maintained its own account with the carrying FCM. To prevent abuse of this exception to the regulation, a carrying FCM must obtain and maintain a written representation from the originating FCM or foreign broker that the particular positions held in the omnibus account are part of a hedge or spread transaction. This collection of information is necessary in order to provide documentation that can be inspected with regard to questions of proper compliance with gross margining requirements. This rule is promulgated pursuant to the Commission's rulemaking authority contained in Sections 4c, 4d, 4f, 4g and 8a of the Commodity Exchange Act, 7 U.S.C. 6c, 6d, 6f, 6g and 12a.

With respect to the collection of information, the CFTC invites comments on:

• Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information will have a practical use;
• The accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
• Ways to enhance the quality, usefulness, and clarity of the information to be collected; and
• Ways to minimize the burden of collection of information on those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or other forms of information technology; e.g., permitting electronic submission of responses.

All comments must be submitted in English, or if not, accompanied by an English translation. Comments will be posted as received to http://www.cftc.gov. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publically. 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 Section 145.9 of the Commissions regulations.^[2]

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 http://www.cftc.gov that it any 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 Information Collection Request 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.

Burden Statement: The Commission is revising its estimate of the burden due to the reduced number of futures commission merchants in the industry. The respondent burden for this collection is estimated to be as follows:

• Estimated number of respondents: 57.
• Reports annually by each respondent: 4.
• Total annual responses: 228.
• Estimated average number of hours per response: 0.08.
• Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: 18.
• Frequency of Collection: On occasion.

There are no capital costs or operating and maintenance costs associated with this collection.

Authority: 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

Dated: November 17, 2017.

Robert N. Sidman,

Deputy Secretary of the Commission.

Footnotes

1.  44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

2.  17 CFR 145.9.