2015-15292. Agency Information Collection Activities: Information Collection Renewal; Submission for OMB Review; International Regulation

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 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 OCC is soliciting comment concerning renewal of its information collection titled “International Regulation.” The OCC also is giving notice that it has sent the collection to OMB for review.

DATES:

Comments must be received by July 22, 2015.

ADDRESSES:

Because paper mail in the Washington, DC area and at the OCC is subject to delay, commenters are encouraged to submit comments by email, if possible. Comments may be sent to: Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Attention: 1557-0102, 400 7th Street SW., Suite 3E-218, Mail Stop 9W-11, Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to [phone] or by electronic mail to [e-mail]. You may personally inspect and photocopy comments at the OCC, 400 7th Street SW., Washington, DC 20219. For security reasons, the OCC requires that visitors make an appointment to inspect comments. You may do so by calling [phone]. Upon arrival, visitors will be required to present valid government-issued photo identification and submit to security screening in order to inspect and photocopy comments.

All 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, 1557-0102, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street NW., #10235, Washington, DC 20503, or by email to: [e-mail].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Shaquita Merritt, Clearance Officer, [phone], for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, TTY, [phone], Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 400 7th Street SW., Suite 3E-218, Mail Stop 9W-11, Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

The OCC is proposing to extend OMB approval of the following information collection without change:

Title: International Regulation—Part 28.

OMB Control No.: 1557-0102.

Description: This submission covers an existing regulation and involves no change to the regulation or to the information collection requirements. The OCC requests only that OMB extend its approval of the information collection.

12 CFR 28.3 Filing Requirements for Foreign Operations of a National Bank—Notice Requirement. A national bank shall notify the OCC when it files an application, notice, or report with the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (FRB) to establish or open a foreign branch, or acquire or divest of an interest in, or close, an Edge corporation, Agreement corporation, foreign bank, or other foreign organization; or opens a foreign branch, and no application or notice is required by the FRB for such transaction.

In practice, the OCC also requires an application pursuant to 12 CFR 28.3(c) from a national bank seeking to join a foreign exchange, clearinghouse, or similar type of organization. In lieu of a notice, the OCC may accept a copy of an application, notice, or report submitted to another Federal agency that covers the proposed action and contains substantially the same information required by the OCC. Under 12 CFR 28.3(c), a national bank shall furnish the OCC with any additional information the OCC may require in connection with the national bank's foreign operations.

12 CFR 28.14(c) Limitations Based upon Capital of a Foreign Bank—Aggregation. A foreign bank shall aggregate business transacted by all Federal branches and agencies with the business transacted by all state branches and agencies controlled by the foreign bank in determining its compliance with limitations based upon the capital of the foreign bank. A foreign bank shall designate one Federal branch or agency office in the United States to maintain consolidated information so the OCC can monitor compliance.

12 CFR 28.15(d), (d)(1), (d)(2), and (f) Capital Equivalency Deposits (CED). A foreign bank should require its depository bank to segregate its CED on the depository bank's books and records. The instruments making up the CED that are placed in safekeeping at a depository bank to satisfy a foreign bank's CED requirement must be maintained pursuant to an agreement prescribed by the OCC that shall be a written agreement entered into with the OCC. Each Federal branch or agency shall maintain a capital equivalency account and keep records of the amount of liabilities requiring capital equivalency coverage in a manner and form prescribed by the OCC. A foreign bank's CED may not be reduced in value below the minimum required for that branch or agency without the prior approval of the OCC, but in no event below the statutory minimum.

12 CFR 28.16(c) Deposit-taking by an Uninsured Federal Branch—Application for an Exemption. A foreign bank may apply to the OCC for an exemption to permit an uninsured Federal branch to accept or maintain deposit accounts that are not listed in § 28.16(b). The request should describe the types, sources, and estimated amount of such deposits and explain why the OCC should grant an exemption and how the exemption maintains and furthers the policies described in § 28.16(a).

12 CFR 28.16(d) Deposit-Taking by an Uninsured Federal Branch—Aggregation of Deposits. A foreign bank that has more than one Federal branch in the same state may aggregate deposits in all of its Federal branches in that state, but exclude deposits of other branches, agencies, or wholly owned subsidiaries of the bank. The Federal branch shall compute the average amount by using the sum of deposits as of the close of business of the last 30 calendar days ending with, and including, the last day of the calendar quarter, divided by 30. The Federal branch shall maintain records of the calculation until its next examination by the OCC.

12 CFR 28.18(c)(1) Recordkeeping and Reporting—Maintenance of Accounts, Books, and Records. Each Federal branch or agency shall maintain a set of accounts and records reflecting its transactions that are separate from those of the foreign bank and any other branch or agency. The Federal branch or agency shall keep a set of accounts and records in English sufficient to permit the OCC to examine the condition of the Federal branch or agency and its compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

12 CFR 28.20(a)(1) Maintenance of Assets—General Rule. The OCC may require a foreign bank to hold certain assets in the state in which its Federal branch or agency is located.

12 CFR 28.22(e) Reports of Examination. The Federal branch or agency shall send the OCC certification that all of its Reports of Examination have been destroyed or return its Reports of Examination to the OCC.

Type of Review: Extension of a currently approved collection.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Estimated Number of Respondents: 49.

Estimated Total Annual Burden: 2,284.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized, included in the request for OMB approval, and become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the OCC, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) The accuracy of the OCC's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection 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: June 17, 2015.

Mary H. Gottlieb,

Regulatory Specialist, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division.