2013-21035. Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Change Regarding Modifications to Its OTC IRS Clearing Offering Including New Fees and the Addition of Four ...

August 23, 2013.

Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act” or “Act”),^[1] and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,^[2] notice is hereby given that on August 16, 2013, Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. (“CME”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“Commission”) the proposed rule change described in Items I, II and III below, which Items have been prepared primarily by CME. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.

I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change

CME is filing proposed rules changes that are limited to its business as a derivatives clearing organization. More specifically, the proposed rule changes would modify the fee schedule that applies to its over-the-counter (“OTC”) interest rate swap (“IRS”) clearing offering and would also make changes to current CME IRS rules to facilitate the addition of four new currencies and two new rate options.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

In its filing with the Commission, the self-regulatory organization included statements concerning the purpose and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. The self-regulatory organization has prepared summaries, set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

CME is registered as a derivatives clearing organization with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and currently offers clearing services for many different futures and swaps products. With this filing, CME proposes to modify the fee schedule (the “Fee Schedule”) that applies to over-the-counter (“OTC”) Interest Rate Swaps (“IRS”) cleared at CME and also proposes to make certain changes to current CME Rule 90102E to facilitate the addition of four new currencies to its IRS offering, specifically, the Czech Krona, Hungarian Forint, Polish Zloty and the South African Rand, and to add two new rate option for its IRS clearing offering, the Canadian Dollar OIS and the USD-Federal Funds-H.15-LIBOR-BBA Rate Option. Finally, CME will also be making certain conforming changes to its IRS Manual of Operations for CME Cleared Interest Rate Swaps to make certain operational changes to address the changes described above. Although these changes will be effective on filing, CME plans to operationalize the proposed fee changes on August 19, 2013 and the proposed changes to Rule 90102E on August 26, 2013.

The changes that are described in this filing impact fees and make certain other adjustments as described above that are limited to CME's business as a derivatives clearing organization clearing products under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) and do not materially impact CME's credit default swap clearing business in any way. CME notes that it has already submitted the proposed rule changes that are the subject of this filing to its primary regulator, the CFTC, in CME Submissions 13-310, 13-313 and 13-315.

CME believes the proposed rule changes are consistent with the requirements of the Exchange Act including Section 17A of the Exchange Act.^[3] More specifically, the first aspect of the proposed rule changes establish or change a member due, fee or other charge imposed by CME under Section 19(b)(3)(A)(ii) ^[4] of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 19b-4(f)(2) ^[5] thereunder. CME believes that the proposed fee change is consistent with the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations thereunder and, in particular, to 17A(b)(3)(D),^[6] in that it provides for the equitable allocation of reasonable dues, fees and other charges among participants. The proposed changes apply to all market participants clearing IRS at CME. CME notes that it operates in a highly competitive market in which market participants can readily direct business to competing venues.

Second, the proposed rule changes also include changes to facilitate the addition of four new currencies and two new rate option choices associated with its IRS offering. These enhancements will offer investors an expanded choice of products for IRS clearing and will promote central clearing of swaps under the CFTC's jurisdiction. As such, CME believes the changes are designed to promote the prompt and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions and, to the extent applicable, derivatives agreements, contracts, and transactions, to assure the safeguarding of securities and funds which are in the custody or control of the clearing agency or for which it is responsible, and, in general, to protect investors and the public interest consistent with Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Exchange Act.^[7] Furthermore, the proposed changes are limited in their effect to swaps products offered under CME's authority to act as a derivatives clearing organization. These products are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the CFTC. As such, the proposed CME changes are limited to CME's activities as a derivatives clearing organization clearing swaps that are not security-based swaps; CME notes that the policies of the CFTC with respect to administering the Commodity Exchange Act are comparable to a number of the policies underlying the Exchange Act, such as promoting market transparency for over-the-counter derivatives markets, promoting the prompt and accurate clearance of transactions and protecting investors and the public interest.

Because the proposed changes are limited in their effect to swaps products offered under CME's authority to act as a derivatives clearing organization, the proposed changes are also properly classified as effecting a change in an existing service of CME that:

(a) primarily affects the clearing operations of CME with respect to products that are not securities, including futures that are not security futures, and swaps that are not security-based swaps or mixed swaps; and

(b) does not significantly affect any securities clearing operations of CME or any rights or obligations of CME with respect to securities clearing or persons using such securities-clearing service.

As such, the changes are therefore consistent with the requirements of Section 17A of the Exchange Act ^[8] and are properly filed under Section 19(b)(3)(A) ^[9] and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) ^[10] thereunder.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

CME does not believe that the proposed rule change will have any impact, or impose any burden, on competition. The rule changes simply modify CME's current IRS fee schedule to include two additional maturity buckets for short-dated IRS and make changes to another CME IRS rule to facilitate the addition of four new currencies and two new rate options for IRS.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received From Members, Participants, or Others

CME has not solicited, and does not intend to solicit, comments regarding this proposed rule change. CME has not received any unsolicited written comments from interested parties.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action

The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) ^[11] of the Act and paragraphs (f)(2) and (f)(4)(ii) of Rule 19b-4 ^[12] thereunder. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission summarily may temporarily suspend such rule change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Electronic Comments

• Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml); or
• Send an email to [e-mail]. Please include File No. SR-CME-2013-16 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

• Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CME-2013-16. This file number should be included on the subject line if email is used. To help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/​rules/​sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for Web site viewing and printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours or 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of CME and on CME's Web site at http://www.cmegroup.com/​market-regulation/​rule-filings.html.

All comments received will be posted without change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File Number SR-CME-2013-16 and should be submitted on or before September 19, 2013.

For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, pursuant to delegated authority.^[13]

Elizabeth M. Murphy,

Secretary.

Footnotes

1.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).

2.  17 CFR 240.19b-4.

3.  15 U.S.C. 78q-1.

4.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(ii).

5.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2).

6.  15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(D).

7.  15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).

8.  15 U.S.C. 78q-1.

9.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

10.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).

11.  15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).

12.  17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(2) and 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).

13.  17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).