2019-00952. Agency Information Collection Activities: Information Collection Renewal; Submission for OMB Review; Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other federal agencies to take this opportunity to comment on a continuing information collection as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA).

In accordance with the requirements of the PRA, the OCC may not conduct or sponsor, and respondents are not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number.

The OCC is soliciting comment concerning the renewal of its information collection titled “Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities.” The OCC also is giving notice that it has sent the collection to OMB for review.

DATES:

Comments must be received by March 7, 2019.

ADDRESSES:

Commenters are encouraged to submit comments by email, if possible.

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• Email: [e-mail].
• Mail: Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Attention: 1557-0251, 400 7th Street, SW, suite 3E-218, Washington, DC 20219.
• Hand Delivery/Courier: 400 7th Street SW, Suite 3E-218, Washington, DC 20219.
• Fax: [phone].

Instructions: You must include “OCC” as the agency name and “1557-0251” in your comment. In general, the OCC will publish comments on www.reginfo.gov without change, including any business or personal information provided, such as name and address information, email addresses, or phone numbers. Comments received, including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public record and subject to public disclosure. Do not include any information in your comment or supporting materials that you consider confidential or inappropriate for public disclosure.

Additionally, please send a copy of your comments by mail to: OCC Desk Officer, 1557-0251, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW, #10235, Washington, DC 20503 or by email to [e-mail].

You may review comments and other related materials that pertain to this information collection ^[1] following the close of the 30-day comment period for this notice by any of the following methods:

• Viewing Comments Electronically: Go to www.reginfo.gov. Click on the “Information Collection Review” tab. Underneath the “Currently under Review” section heading, from the drop-down menu, select “Department of Treasury” and then click “submit.” This information collection can be located by searching by OMB control number “1557-0251” or “Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities.” Upon finding the appropriate information collection, click on the related “ICR Reference Number.” On the next screen, select “View Supporting Statement and Other Documents” and then click on the link to any comment listed at the bottom of the screen.
• For assistance in navigating www.reginfo.gov,, please contact the Regulatory Information Service Center at [phone].
• Viewing Comments Personally: You may personally inspect comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling [phone] or, for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired, TTY, [phone]. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and submit to security screening in order to inspect comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Shaquita Merritt, Clearance Officer, [phone] or, for persons who are deaf or hearing impaired, TTY, [phone], Chief Counsel's Office, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW, Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Under the PRA (44 U.S.C. 3501-3520), federal agencies must obtain approval from the OMB for each collection of information that they conduct or sponsor. “Collection of information” is defined in 44 U.S.C. 3502(3) and 5 CFR 1320.3(c) to include agency requests or requirements that members of the public submit reports, keep records, or provide information to a third party. The OCC is soliciting comment on the renewal of the following collection.

Title: Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities.

OMB Control No.: 1557-0251 (Merging in 1557-0335).

Description: Title VII of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) established a comprehensive regulatory framework for derivatives, which are generally characterized as swaps and security-based swaps. Sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act require the registration and regulation of swap dealers and major swap participants and security-based swap dealers and major security-based swap participants, respectively (collectively, “swap entities”). For certain types of swap entities that are prudentially regulated by one of the Agencies,^[2] sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act required the Agencies to jointly adopt rules for swap entities under their respective jurisdictions imposing capital requirements and initial and variation margin requirements on all non-cleared swaps. Swap entities that are prudentially regulated by the Agencies and therefore subject to the proposed rule are referred to herein as “covered swap entities.”

Section 302 of the Terrorism Risk Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2015 (TRIPRA),^[3] amended sections 731 and 764 of the Dodd-Frank Act to provide that the initial and variation margin requirements do not apply to certain transactions with specified counterparties that qualify for an exemption or exception from clearing. Non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps that are exempt under section 302 of TRIPRA are not subject to the Agencies' rules implementing margin requirements. TRIPRA augmented provisions that would allow swap entities to collect no initial or variation margin from certain “other counterparties” like commercial end-users with a provision that grants an exception from the margin requirements for certain swaps with these and certain additional counterparties. In addition, swap entities could continue with the current practice of collecting initial or variation margin at such times and in such forms and amounts (if any) as the covered swap entity determines appropriate consistent with its overall credit risk management of its exposures to “other counterparties.”

Section by Section Analysis

The reporting requirements found in 12 CFR 45.1(d) refer to other statutory provisions that set forth conditions for an exemption from clearing. Section 45.1(d)(1) provides an exemption for non-cleared swaps if one of the counterparties to the swap is not a financial entity, is using swaps to hedge or mitigate commercial risk, and notifies the Commodity Futures Trading Commission of how it generally meets its financial obligations associated with entering into non-cleared swaps. Section 45.1(d)(2) provides an exemption for security-based swaps if the counterparty notifies the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of how it generally meets its financial obligations associated with entering into non-cleared security-based swaps.

Section 45.2 defines terms used in part 45, including the definition of “eligible master netting agreement,” which provides that a covered swap entity that relies on the agreement for purpose of calculating the required margin must: (1) Conduct sufficient legal review of the agreement to conclude with a well-founded basis that the agreement meets specified criteria; and (2) establish and maintain written procedures for monitoring relevant changes in law and to ensure that the agreement continues to satisfy the requirements of this section. The term “eligible master netting agreement” is used elsewhere in part 45 to specify instances in which a covered swap entity may: (1) Calculate variation margin on an aggregate basis across multiple non-cleared swaps and security-based swaps; and (2) calculate initial margin requirements under an initial margin model for one or more swaps and security-based swaps.

Section 45.5(c)(2)(i) specifies that a covered swap entity shall not be deemed to have violated its obligation to collect or post margin from or to a counterparty if the covered swap entity has made the necessary efforts to collect or post the required margin, including the timely initiation and continued pursuit of formal dispute resolution mechanisms, or has otherwise demonstrated upon request to the satisfaction of the agency that it has made appropriate efforts to collect or post the required margin.

Section 45.7 generally requires a covered swap entity to ensure that any initial margin collateral that it collects or posts is held at a third-party custodian. Section 45.7(c) requires the custodian to act pursuant to a custody agreement that: (1) Prohibits the custodian from rehypothecating, repledging, reusing, or otherwise transferring (through securities lending, securities borrowing, repurchase agreement, reverse repurchase agreement or other means) the collateral held by the custodian, except that cash collateral may be held in a general deposit account with the custodian if the funds in the account are used to purchase an asset held in compliance with § 45.7, and such purchase takes place within a time period reasonably necessary to consummate such purchase after the cash collateral is posted as initial margin; and (2) is a legal, valid, binding, and enforceable agreement under the laws of all relevant jurisdictions, including in the event of bankruptcy, insolvency, or a similar proceeding. A custody agreement may permit the posting party to substitute or direct any reinvestment of posted collateral held by the custodian under certain conditions. With respect to collateral collected by a covered swap entity pursuant to § 45.3(a) or posted by a covered swap entity pursuant to § 45.3(b), the agreement must require the posting party to substitute only funds or other property that would qualify as eligible collateral under § 45.6 and for which the amount net of applicable discounts described in Appendix B would be sufficient to meet the requirements of § 45.3 and direct reinvestment of funds only in assets that would qualify as eligible collateral under § 45.6.

Section 45.8 establishes standards for the use of initial margin models. These standards include: (1) A requirement that the covered swap entity receive prior approval from the relevant Agency based on demonstration that the initial margin model meets specific requirements (§§ 45.8(c)(1) and 45.8(c)(2)); (2) a requirement that a covered swap entity notify the relevant Agency in writing 60 days before extending use of the model to additional product types, making certain changes to the initial margin model, or making material changes to modeling assumptions (§ 45.8(c)(3)); and (3) a variety of quantitative requirements, including requirements that the covered swap entity validate and demonstrate the reasonableness of its process for modeling and measuring hedging benefits, demonstrate to the satisfaction of the relevant Agency that the omission of any risk factor from the calculation of its initial margin is appropriate, demonstrate to the satisfaction of the relevant Agency that incorporation of any proxy or approximation used to capture the risks of the covered swap entity's non-cleared swaps or non-cleared security-based swaps is appropriate, periodically review and, as necessary, revise the data used to calibrate the initial margin model to ensure that the data incorporate an appropriate period of significant financial stress (§§ 45.8(d)(5), 45.8(d)(10), 45.8(d)(11), 45.8(d)(12), and 45.8(d)(13)). Also, if the validation process reveals any material problems with the initial margin model, the covered swap entity must promptly notify the Agency of the problems, describe to the Agency any remedial actions being taken, and adjust the initial margin model to ensure an appropriately conservative amount of required initial margin is being calculated (§ 45.8(f)(3)).

Section 45.8 also establishes requirements for the ongoing review and documentation of initial margin models. These standards include: (1) A requirement that a covered swap entity review its initial margin model annually (§ 45.8(e)); (2) a requirement that the covered swap entity validate its initial margin model at the outset and on an ongoing basis, describe to the relevant Agency any remedial actions being taken, and report internal audit findings regarding the effectiveness of the initial margin model to the covered swap entity's board of directors or a committee thereof (§§ 45.8(f)(2), 45.8(f)(3), and 45.8(f)(4)); (3) a requirement that the covered swap entity adequately document all material aspects of its initial margin model (§ 45.8(g)); and

(4) that the covered swap entity must adequately document internal authorization procedures, including escalation procedures, that require review and approval of any change to the initial margin calculation under the initial margin model, demonstrable analysis that any basis for any such change is consistent with the requirements of this section, and independent review of such demonstrable analysis and approval (§ 45.8(h)).

Section 45.9 addresses the treatment of cross-border transactions and, in certain limited situations, will permit a covered swap entity to comply with a foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps (as a substitute for compliance with the prudential regulators' rule) if the prudential regulators jointly determine that the foreign regulatory framework is comparable to the requirements in the prudential regulators' rule. Section 45.9(e) allows a covered swap entity to request that the prudential regulators make a substituted compliance determination and must provide the reasons therefore and other required supporting documentation. A request for a substituted compliance determination must include: (1) A description of the scope and objectives of the foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps; (2) the specific provisions of the foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps and security-based swaps (scope of transactions covered; determination of the amount of initial and variation margin required; timing of margin requirements; documentation requirements; forms of eligible collateral; segregation and re-hypothecation requirements; and approval process and standards for models); (3) the supervisory compliance program and enforcement authority exercised by a foreign financial regulatory authority or authorities in such system to support its oversight of the application of the non-cleared swap and security-based swap regulatory framework; and (4) any other descriptions and documentation that the prudential regulators determine are appropriate. A covered swap entity may make a request under this section only if directly supervised by the authorities administering the foreign regulatory framework for non-cleared swaps and non-cleared security-based swaps.

Section 45.10 requires a covered swap entity to execute trading documentation with each counterparty that is either a swap entity or financial end user regarding credit support arrangements that: (1) Provides the contractual right to collect and post initial margin and variation margin in such amounts, in such form, and under such circumstances as are required; and (2) specifies the methods, procedures, rules, and inputs for determining the value of each non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap for purposes of calculating variation margin requirements and the procedures for resolving any disputes concerning valuation.

Section 45.11(b)(1) provides that the requirement for a covered swap entity to post initial margin under § 45.3(b) does not apply with respect to any non-cleared swap or non-cleared security-based swap with a counterparty that is an affiliate. A covered swap entity shall calculate the amount of initial margin that would be required to be posted to an affiliate that is a financial end user with material swaps exposure pursuant to § 45.3(b) and provide documentation of such amount to each affiliate on a daily basis.

Type of Review: Extension without change of a currently approved information collection.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 10.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 17,390 hours.

The OCC published a notice for 60 days of comment regarding this collection on November 6, 2018, 83 FR 55598. No comments were received. Comments continue to be requested on:

(a) Whether the information collections are necessary for the proper performance of the OCC's functions, including whether the information has practical utility;

(b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimates of the burden of the information collections, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions used;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of information collections on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.

Dated: January 23, 2019.

Theodore J. Dowd,

Deputy Chief Counsel, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

Footnotes

1.  On November 6, 2018, the OCC published a 60-day notice for this information collection.

2.  The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and the Farm Credit Administration.

3.  Public Law 114-1, 129 Stat. 3 (2015).