03-13344. Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board)

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment

SUMMARY:

In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) (collectively, the “agencies”), may not conduct or sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The agencies, under the auspices of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC), propose to extend without revision the following currently approved information collection: the Country Exposure Report for U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks (FFIEC 019). The Board is publishing this request for extension on behalf of the agencies. At the end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations received will be analyzed to determine whether the FFIEC and the agencies should modify the information collection. The Board will then submit the reports to OMB for review and approval.

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before July 28, 2003.

ADDRESSES:

Interested parties are invited to submit written comments to the agency listed below. All comments will be shared among the agencies.

Written comments, which should refer to “Country Exposure Report for U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks, 7100-0213,” may be mailed to Ms. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20551. However, because paper mail in the Washington area and at the Board of Governors is subject to delay, please consider submitting your comments by e-mail to [e-mail], or faxing them to the Office of the Secretary at 202-452-3819 or 202-452-3102. Members of the public may inspect comments in Room MP-500 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays pursuant to 261.12, except as provided in 261.14, of the Board's Rules Regarding Availability of Information, 12 CFR 261.12 and 261.14.

A copy of the comments may also be submitted to the OMB desk officer for the agencies: Joseph F. Lackey, Jr., Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 or electronic mail to [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Additional information or a copy of the collection may be requested from Cindy Ayouch, Federal Reserve Board Clearance Officer, [phone], Division of Research and Statistics, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551. Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) users may call [phone], Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposal to Extend For Three Years Without Revision the Following Currently Approved Information Collection:

Report title: Country Exposure Report for U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks

Form number: FFIEC 019.

OMB number: 7100-0213.

Frequency of response: Quarterly.

Affected Public: U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks.

Number of respondents: 185.

Estimated average hours per response: 10 hours.

Estimated Annual reporting hours: 7,400 hours.

General Description of Report: This information collection is mandatory: 12 U.S.C. 3906 for all agencies; 12 U.S.C. 3105 and 3108 for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; sections 7 and 10 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1817, 1820) for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and the National Bank Act (12 U.S.C. 161) for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency). This information collection is given confidential treatment. (5 U.S.C. 552(b)(8)). Small businesses (that is, small U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks) are affected.

Abstract: All individual U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks that have more than $30 million in direct claims on residents of foreign countries must file the FFIEC 019 report quarterly. Currently, all respondents report adjusted exposure amounts to the five largest countries having at least $20 million in total adjusted exposure. The Agencies collect this data to monitor the extent to which such branches and agencies are pursuing prudent country risk diversification policies and limiting potential liquidity pressures. No changes are proposed to the FFIEC 019 reporting form or instructions.

Request for Comment

Comments are invited on:

a. Whether the information collections are necessary for the proper performance of the agencies' functions, including whether the information has practical utility;

b. The accuracy of the agencies' 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.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be shared among the agencies and will be summarized or included in the Board's request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Written comments should address the accuracy of the burden estimates and ways to minimize burden including the use of automated collection techniques or the use of other forms of information technology as well as other relevant aspects of the information collection request.

Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, May 22, 2003.

Jennifer J. Johnson,

Secretary of the Board.