2017-25304

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 224 (Wednesday, November 22, 2017)]

[Notices]

[Pages 55591-55592]

From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[FR Doc No: 2017-25304]

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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

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.

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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, (312) 596-0529; email: [email protected].

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,

[[Page 55592]]

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.

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\1\ 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.

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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\

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\2\ 17 CFR 145.9.

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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.

[FR Doc. 2017-25304 Filed 11-21-17; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6351-01-P

 

 

Last Updated: November 22, 2017