83_FR_1547 83 FR 1538 - Technical Amendments to Rules on Registration and Review of Exchange Disciplinary, Access Denial, or Other Adverse Actions

83 FR 1538 - Technical Amendments to Rules on Registration and Review of Exchange Disciplinary, Access Denial, or Other Adverse Actions

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 9 (January 12, 2018)

Page Range1538-1548
FR Document2018-00467

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or ``Commission'') is adopting certain amendments to its rules that, respectively, govern registration of intermediaries and relate to the Commission's review of exchange disciplinary, access denial, or other adverse actions. Generally speaking, these amendments are technical in nature. The amendments to both areas of the rules integrate existing advisory guidance. The amendments to the rules on review of exchange disciplinary, access denial, or other adverse actions also incorporate swap execution facilities (``SEFs'') and update provisions currently applicable to designated contract markets (``DCMs''). These final rules also remove numerous outdated cross-references, and add citations to applicable parallel provisions contained in other Commission regulations pertaining to SEFs and DCMs. Additionally, the final rules address the publication of final disciplinary and access denial actions taken by the SEFs and DCMs on their exchange websites.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 9 (Friday, January 12, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 9 (Friday, January 12, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 1538-1548]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-00467]


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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

17 CFR Parts 3 and 9

RIN 3038-AE15


Technical Amendments to Rules on Registration and Review of 
Exchange Disciplinary, Access Denial, or Other Adverse Actions

AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``CFTC'' or 
``Commission'') is adopting certain amendments to its rules that, 
respectively, govern registration of intermediaries and relate to the 
Commission's review of exchange disciplinary, access denial, or other 
adverse actions. Generally speaking, these amendments are technical in 
nature. The amendments to both areas of the rules integrate existing 
advisory guidance. The amendments to the rules on review of exchange 
disciplinary, access denial, or other adverse actions also incorporate 
swap execution facilities (``SEFs'') and update provisions currently 
applicable to designated contract markets (``DCMs''). These final rules 
also remove numerous outdated cross-references, and add citations to 
applicable parallel provisions contained in other Commission 
regulations pertaining to SEFs and DCMs. Additionally, the final rules 
address the publication of final disciplinary and access denial actions 
taken by the SEFs and DCMs on their exchange websites.

DATES: This final rule is effective March 13, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rachel Berdansky, Deputy Director, 
202-418-5429 or [email protected]; David Steinberg, Associate 
Director, 202-418-5102 or [email protected]; Division of Market 
Oversight, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette 
Centre, 1151 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20581.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Table of Contents

I. Background
    A. Description of Part 9
    B. DCM Final Rules and Part 8 Removal
    C. SEF Final Rules
II. Summary of the Proposal
    A. Amendments to Part 9: Rules Relating to Review of Exchange 
Disciplinary, Access Denial or Other Adverse Actions
    B. Amendment to Regulation 3.31: Deficiencies, Inaccuracies, and 
Changes To Be Reported
III. Comments on the Proposal
IV. Final Rules and Notice and Order
    A. Final Rules
    B. Deletion of References to Commission Form 3-R
    C. Notice and Order
V. Related Matters
    A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
    B. Paperwork Reduction Act
    C. Cost-Benefit Considerations
    D. Antitrust Considerations

[[Page 1539]]

I. Background

A. Description of Part 9

    On December 20, 1978, the Commission adopted part 9 rules relating 
to the Commission's review of exchange disciplinary, access denial, or 
other adverse actions.\1\ These rules detail the process and procedures 
for Commission review, including the appellate process in cases where a 
person applies to the Commission for review. The rules also address the 
procedures and standards governing filing and service, motions, and 
settlement; the process that exchanges must follow in providing notice 
of the final disciplinary action to the subject of the action and to 
the Commission; and the publication of such notice. As discussed below, 
DCMs and SEFs are already required to comply with the part 9 
regulations.
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    \1\ 43 FR 59343 (Dec. 20, 1978).
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B. DCM Final Rules and Part 8 Removal

    In June 2012, the Commission adopted final regulations for DCMs 
(``DCM Final Rules'').\2\ Commission regulation 38.2 of the DCM Final 
Rules provides that DCMs ``shall comply with all applicable regulations 
under Title 17 of the Code of Federal Regulations,'' except for certain 
exempt provisions.\3\ Part 9 applies to DCMs by defining ``exchange'' 
in Commission regulation 9.2(c) for purposes of the rules as ``any 
board of trade which has been designated as a contract market.'' \4\
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    \2\ Core Principles and Other Requirements for Designated 
Contract Markets, 77 FR 36612 (June 19, 2012).
    \3\ Id. at 36697; 17 CFR 38.2. Part 9 is not included in the 
list of exempt provisions.
    \4\ 17 CFR 9.2(c).
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    Additionally, in the DCM Final Rules, the Commission adopted 
regulations in Subpart N--Disciplinary Procedures of part 38 to amend 
the disciplinary procedures applicable to DCMs.\5\ Several of the 
regulations adopted in subpart N of part 38 are similar to the text of 
the disciplinary procedures found in former part 8--exchange procedures 
for disciplinary, summary, and membership denial actions.\6\ The 
Commission removed part 8 from the regulations in order to avoid any 
confusion from having two sets of disciplinary procedures for DCMs.\7\ 
As a result of this removal, the current part 9 rules, which contain 
cross-references to part 8 throughout, are being updated in the final 
rules to instead cite to parallel provisions now contained in part 37 
for SEFs and part 38 for DCMs.
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    \5\ 17 CFR 38.700 through 38.712.
    \6\ 43 FR 41950 (Sept. 19, 1978); 17 CFR 38.700 through 38.712. 
For example, part 8 contained regulations 8.05 (Enforcement staff); 
8.08 (Disciplinary committee); and 8.20 (Final decision). Subpart N 
of part 38 has corresponding provisions: 38.701 (Enforcement staff); 
38.702 (Disciplinary panels); and 38.709 (Final decisions).
    \7\ Although Commission regulation 38.2 of the DCM Final Rules 
specifies that DCMs are not required to comply with part 8, the 
Commission removed part 8 to avoid any confusion resulting from the 
regulations containing two sets of exchange disciplinary procedures 
as part of the Adaptation of Regulations to Incorporate Swaps 
Rulemaking. 17 CFR 38.2; and removal of part 8 at 77 FR 66304 (Nov. 
2, 2012).
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C. SEF Final Rules

    On June 4, 2013, the Commission adopted new rules in part 37 for 
SEFs (``SEF Final Rules'').\8\ In regulation 37.2 of the SEF Final 
Rules, the Commission specified that SEFs shall comply with the 
requirements of part 9.\9\ Accordingly, for clarity purposes, the final 
rules amend certain part 9 definitions and language which have not yet 
been addressed, to integrate them into the post-Dodd-Frank regulatory 
regime.
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    \8\ Core Principles and Other Requirements for Swap Execution 
Facilities, 78 FR 33476 (June 4, 2013).
    \9\ See id. 33479; 17 CFR 37.2.
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II. Summary of the Proposal

A. Amendments to Part 9: Rules Relating to Review of Exchange 
Disciplinary, Access Denial or Other Adverse Actions

    On January 23, 2017, the Commission published a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (``NPRM'' or ``Proposal'') to amend certain part 3 and part 
9 rules.\10\ As discussed in the NPRM, most of the amendments are 
purely ministerial--for instance, some of the proposed changes updated 
definitions in Commission regulation 9.2 to conform them to the 
Commodity Exchange Act (``CEA'' or ``Act'') as amended by the Dodd-
Frank Act as well as other sections of the Commission's 
regulations.\11\
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    \10\ 82 FR 7738 (Jan. 23, 2017).
    \11\ Id. at 7740.
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    The Commission proposed to amend the definitions of four terms in 
regulation 9.2. First, the Commission proposed to amend the definition 
of ``disciplinary action'' by removing the reference to ``member of an 
exchange'' and inserting ``person'' in its place.\12\ The Commission 
explained in the NPRM that it is necessary to expand the ``disciplinary 
action'' definition to account for instances where an exchange imposes 
sanctions against a person that is not a member of the exchange.\13\ 
The proposed language to include ``person'' in the ``disciplinary 
action'' definition is consistent with the statutory language found in 
Core Principle 2 for DCMs and section 8c(b) of the CEA, as amended by 
the Dodd-Frank Act.\14\ Second, the Commission proposed to amend the 
definition of ``exchange'' in regulation 9.2(c) to include SEFs. This 
change makes it clear that the Commission has the discretion to review 
adverse actions imposed by a SEF and clarify that SEFs are subject to 
all of the part 9 requirements.\15\ Third, the Commission proposed to 
amend regulation 9.2(f) to expand the definition of ``member of an 
exchange'' to include any person who has trading privileges on an 
exchange. This change is necessary to conform the part 9 definition of 
``member'' to the meaning set forth in section 1a(34) of the CEA and in 
1.3(q) of the Commission's regulations.\16\ Fourth, the Commission 
proposed to amend the definition of ``summary action'' in regulation 
9.2(k) by adding references to part 37 for SEFs and replacing the part 
8 references with the relevant provisions from part 38.\17\
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    \12\ The Commission also proposed to amend the disciplinary 
action definition by removing the reference to regulation 8.03(i).
    \13\ 82 FR 7741 (Jan. 23, 2017).
    \14\ Section 735 of the Dodd-Frank Act amends section 5 of the 
CEA, including DCM Core Principle 2. Paragraph (B)--Capacity of 
Contract Market--of Core Principle 2 specifically requires that the 
board of trade shall have the capacity to detect, investigate, and 
apply appropriate sanctions to any person that violates any rule of 
the contract market. Section 8c(b) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 12c(b), 
provides that the Commission may, in its discretion and in 
accordance with such standards and procedures as it deems 
appropriate, review any decision by an exchange whereby a person is 
suspended, expelled, disciplined, or denied access to the exchange. 
In addition, section 8c(b) of the CEA provides that the Commission 
may, in its discretion and upon application of any person who is 
adversely affected by any other exchange action, review such action.
    \15\ Id. The Commission notes that regulation 37.2 requires, 
among other things, that a SEF shall comply with the part 9 
regulations. 17 CFR 37.2. Additionally, footnote 40 of the SEF Final 
Rules states ``the term `exchange' used in part 9 of the 
Commission's regulations should be interpreted to include a SEF for 
purposes of applying the requirements of part 9 to a SEF.'' 78 FR 
33476, 33479 (June 4, 2013).
    \16\ Section 1a(34) of the CEA provides that the term ``member'' 
means, among other things, an individual, association, partnership, 
corporation, or trust having trading privileges on the registered 
entity. See also 17 CFR 1.3(q). By amending the definition of 
``member of an exchange'' to include all persons with trading 
privileges, the Commission is clarifying that the appellate process 
and Commission review, as defined in part 9, applies to all persons 
with trading privileges.
    \17\ Specifically, the proposed definition of ``summary action'' 
means a disciplinary action resulting in the imposition of a penalty 
on a person for violation of rules of the exchange permitted under 
the provisions of part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, section 
(a)(10)(vi) or part 38, appendix B, Core Principle 13, section 
(a)(4) (penalty for impeding progress of hearing); part 37, appendix 
B, Core Principle 2, section (a)(14) or part 38, appendix B, Core 
Principle 13, section (a)(7) (emergency disciplinary actions); part 
37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, section (a)(13) (summary fines for 
violations of rules regarding timely submission of records); or part 
38, appendix B, Core Principle 13, section (a)(6) (summary fines for 
violations of rules regarding timely submission of records, decorum, 
or other similar activities).

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[[Page 1540]]

    The Commission also proposed to amend regulation 9.11(a) to remove 
the requirement that an exchange provide written notice to the 
Commission of a final disciplinary action or access denial action and 
replace it with a requirement to provide notice to the National Futures 
Association (``NFA''). As explained in the NPRM, the Commission 
delegated authority to the NFA in 1999 to receive and process exchange 
disciplinary and access denial information (``Part 9 Delegation'').\18\ 
Consequently, the NFA currently serves as the official custodian of 
records for exchange disciplinary filings. The Commission noted in the 
NPRM that it intends to amend the Part 9 Delegation order, consistent 
with the requirement that exchanges provide exchange disciplinary and 
access denial information to the NFA.\19\ In 1999, concurrent with the 
Part 9 Delegation, the Commission also published an advisory permitting 
exchanges to file Sec.  9.11 notices with the Commission or the NFA 
(``Part 9 Advisory'').\20\ The Commission proposed to codify the Part 9 
Advisory and formally replace the regulation 9.11 requirement that 
written notice be provided to the Commission by amending Sec.  9.11 to 
require that notice be provided to the NFA via the NFA's BASIC system 
and eliminate the option of filing the notice with the Commission.
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    \18\ 82 FR 7741 (Jan. 23, 2017). The NFA created the Background 
Affiliation Status Information Center (``BASIC'') system through 
which the public can access information pertaining to the types of 
violations committed, penalties imposed, the effective date of the 
action, and, in some cases, the text from the exchange's decision.
    \19\ Id.
    \20\ 64 FR 39915 (July 23, 1999) (``Part 9 Advisory'').
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    The Commission proposed an amendment to regulation 9.11(b)(3)(ii) 
by adding the type of product (as applicable) involved in the adverse 
action as an additional element required to be included in the contents 
of the notice. The Commission stated in the NPRM that requiring 
exchanges to provide this information in the Sec.  9.11 notice will 
provide the Commission, market participants, the public, and other 
exchanges with greater transparency concerning where market abuses 
originate and whether the abuses are concentrated among certain product 
types.\21\ The Commission also proposed to amend regulation 
9.11(b)(3)(ii) by codifying the clarification contained in the Part 9 
Advisory that an exchange indicate in its notice of disciplinary or 
access denial actions whether the violation underlying the notice 
resulted in financial harm to any customers.\22\
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    \21\ For example, a product trading on a DCM might be specified 
as a July 2016 Eurodollar future; while a product trading on a SEF 
may be a CDX North American High Yield Series 26 5 year.
    \22\ 64 FR 39917 (July 23, 1999).
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    The Commission also proposed to amend regulation 9.11(c) by 
deleting instructions for filing notice with the Commission and 
replacing them with instructions for filing notice with the NFA given 
the proposed changes to regulation 9.11(a) discussed above. The NPRM 
provided that filing of the notice with the NFA is accomplished when an 
authorized exchange employee verifies the accuracy of the information 
entered into BASIC.
    The Commission proposed to amend regulation 9.11(d), which sets 
forth the effect of delivery and filing by mail, by deleting 
instructions related to filing notices with the Commission by mail 
since proposed regulation 9.11(c) calls for notice filings to be made 
to the NFA via BASIC instead of with the Commission by mail.
    Pursuant to Commission regulation 9.12(b), an exchange that 
determines that a disciplinary action will become effective prior to 
the expiration of 15 days after written notice to the person that is 
the subject of such action must provide notification in writing either 
personally or by telegram or other means of written telecommunication. 
The exchange also must immediately notify the Commission by telegram or 
other means of written telecommunication. The Commission proposed to 
modernize regulation 9.12(b) by replacing references to ``telegram or 
other means of written telecommunication'' with the term ``email'' and 
provide a Commission email address for Commission notification.
    Commission regulation 9.13 provides that whenever an exchange 
suspends, expels or otherwise disciplines, or denies any person access 
to the exchange, it must make its findings public by disclosing at 
least the information contained in the Commission regulation 9.11(b) 
notice. An exchange also must make such findings public as soon as the 
disciplinary action or access denial action becomes effective by 
posting a notice in a conspicuous place on its premises. As noted in 
the NPRM, posting a notice of disciplinary action on the premises of an 
exchange does little to publicize the action.\23\ Accordingly, the 
Commission proposed to modernize regulation 9.13 by requiring the 
notice to be posted on an exchange's website to which its members, 
market participants, and the public regularly have access.\24\ The 
Commission also proposed to amend regulation 9.13 by requiring the 
notice to be maintained and readily available on an exchange's 
website.\25\ As a result, the existing requirement to maintain and make 
available for public inspection a record of the information contained 
in the disciplinary or access denial notice would be eliminated.
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    \23\ 82 FR 7743 (Jan. 23, 2017).
    \24\ The Commission noted in the NPRM that many DCMs have 
already adopted more modern methods to publicize notices of 
disciplinary action. 82 FR 7743 (Jan. 23, 2017). For example, the 
CME Group DCMs (Chicago Board of Trade (``CBOT''), Chicago 
Mercantile Exchange (``CME''), Commodity Exchange, Inc., 
(``COMEX''), and New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (``NYMEX'')) and 
ICE Futures U.S. notify subscribers of exchange disciplinary 
postings via email. The Commission also noted that the amendment 
generally tracks the Securities and Exchange Commission's (``SEC'') 
standards for Release of Disciplinary Complaints, Decisions and 
Other Information in Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. 
(``FINRA'') Rule 8313, in which FINRA, with SEC approval, has 
established its standard for releasing to the public a copy of FINRA 
issued disciplinary complaints, decisions, and other disciplinary 
information. See FINRA Rule 8313 ``Release of Disciplinary 
Complaints, Decisions and Other Information,'' available at http://finra.complinet.com/en/display/display_main.html?rbid=2403&element_id=3892. See also SEC Release 
No. 34-69825; File No. SR-FINRA-2013-018 (June 21, 2013).
    \25\ Some DCMs currently maintain records of disciplinary action 
on their websites. For example, CBOE Futures Exchange, LLC maintains 
a disciplinary decision database on its website that allows the 
public to review disciplinary decisions dating back to 2012. The 
Commission notes that in the securities industry, the New York Stock 
Exchange maintains disciplinary notices as far back as 1972.
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    The Commission also noted in the NPRM that it anticipates that upon 
the effective date of the final part 9 rules, it will include links on 
its SmartCheck website to each exchange's website for posting notice of 
disciplinary action or access denial action.\26\
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    \26\ 82 FR 7743 (Jan. 23, 2017). In November 2014, the CFTC 
launched the SmartCheck website. It connects investors to tools to 
check the registration, license, and disciplinary history of certain 
financial professionals. This collection of tools allows the 
responsible investor to confirm the credentials of investment 
professionals, uncover any past disciplinary history, and stay ahead 
of scam artists with news and alerts.
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B. Amendment to Regulation 3.31: Deficiencies, Inaccuracies, and 
Changes To Be Reported

    Pursuant to Commission regulation 3.31, an applicant or registrant 
as a futures commission merchant (``FCM''), retail foreign exchange 
dealer (``RFED''), swap dealer (``SD''), major swap participant 
(``MSP''), commodity trading advisor (``CTA''), commodity pool operator 
(``CPO''), introducing broker

[[Page 1541]]

(``IB''), or floor trader (``FT'') that is a non-natural person or 
leverage transaction merchant (``LTM'') must promptly correct any 
deficiency or inaccuracy in Form 7-R or Form 8-R which has rendered the 
information contained therein non-current or inaccurate. These 
corrections must be made in accordance with the instructions of each 
form to create a Form 3-R record of such change.
    In 1999, concurrent with the Part 9 Delegation and Part 9 Advisory, 
the Commission issued an advisory pertaining to part 3 of the 
Commission's regulations (``Part 3 Advisory''). The Part 3 Advisory 
relieves registrants and applicants for registrant status from filing 
the Form 3-R if the information to be reported is solely the result of 
an exchange disciplinary or access denial action.\27\ In 2012, the 
Commission eliminated the requirement that registrants and individuals 
use Form 3-R to update their existing Form 7-R or 8-R and provided that 
an update to a registrant's online Form 7-R or 8-R would automatically 
create a record of changes equivalent to a completed Form 3-R.\28\ The 
Commission proposed to codify the Part 3 Advisory by amending 
regulation 3.31(a)(1) with language that relieves applicants or 
registrants from the obligation to update their Form 7-R or 8-R if the 
information to be reported is solely the result of an exchange 
disciplinary or access denial action.
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    \27\ The Part 3 Advisory also explains that the Commission has: 
(1) Permitted exchanges (via the Part 9 Advisory) to file either 
electronic or written Sec.  9.11 notices with the NFA instead of the 
Commission and (2) delegated to the NFA (via the Part 9 Delegation) 
the duty to receive and process exchange disciplinary and access 
denial action information filed by the exchanges in accordance with 
Commission regulation 9.11. The Commission further explained that, 
as a result of the Part 9 Advisory and Part 9 Delegation, the NFA 
possesses the exchange disciplinary and access denial action 
information that registrants and applicants for registrant status 
would otherwise be required to include in Form 3-R. Therefore, to 
avoid duplicative reporting, the Part 3 Advisory advises all 
individuals and entities subject to Commission regulation 3.31 that 
they are relieved from Commission regulation 3.31 reporting 
obligations resulting from an exchange disciplinary or access denial 
action and reported by an exchange pursuant to a Sec.  9.11 notice. 
64 FR 39912 (July 23, 1999).
    \28\ 77 FR 51898 (Aug. 28, 2012).
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III. Comments on the Proposal

    The comment period for the Proposal ended on March 24, 2017. The 
Commission received one comment letter.\29\ The Minneapolis Grain 
Exchange (``MGEX'') generally supported the Proposal while offering 
some suggestions for certain provisions. MGEX agreed with the 
Commission's general approach to modernize permitted methods of 
communication. For example, MGEX cited the language in proposed 
regulation 9.11(c) that would require an exchange only to verify that 
information entered into NFA's BASIC system instead of mailing a notice 
to the Commission as a positive change. MGEX also favorably cited 
proposed regulation 9.12(b) that would permit an exchange to email 
notice of an early effective date of disciplinary action instead of 
mailing it or by telegram. MGEX noted these changes reduce burdens and 
suggested that the Commission make similar changes to proposed 
regulations 9.11(c) and (d) to allow an exchange to email a 
disciplinary or access denial notice to the person subject to the 
action.
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    \29\ See https://comments.cftc.gov/PublicComments/CommentList.aspx?id=1776.
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    MGEX agreed that an exchange should publish notices of certain 
disciplinary actions on its website. However, MGEX requested that an 
exchange have flexibility regarding how it fulfills this obligation. In 
particular, MGEX requested that regulation 9.13 be amended to ensure 
that an exchange has flexibility over the format, style, and location 
of the notice on its website, as well as any ancillary website relating 
to the publication of such notices. MGEX stated that an exchange should 
be able to archive notices on its website after a reasonable period of 
time. MGEX noted that archived notices should be accessible, but an 
exchange should have discretion to maintain them separately on its 
website. In addition, MGEX indicated that there may be situations where 
removing a notice from its website would be appropriate and exchanges 
should be provided with this discretion. In support of its position, 
MGEX stated that the regulatory environment or exchange rules could 
change over time such that certain notices no longer provide 
educational or informative value. MGEX commented that having notices 
that are predicated on antiquated rules may actually confuse members, 
market participants, or the public. Finally, MGEX requested guidance 
that regulation 9.13 will be limited to disciplinary actions that were 
finalized after the effective date of any final rulemaking.

IV. Final Rules and Notice and Order

A. Final Rules

    The Commission, in consideration of the MGEX comment, is adopting 
the part 9 rules as proposed subject to the minor modifications 
described below. The Commission agrees with MGEX's suggestion to amend 
regulations 9.11(c) and (d) to allow an exchange to use email as a 
permitted method of delivering notice of the disciplinary or access 
denial action to the person subject to the action. Accordingly, the 
Commission is modifying 9.11(c) to allow delivery of the notice to the 
person's last known email address. The Commission is also amending 
9.11(d) to provide that delivery of the disciplinary notice will be 
complete upon transmission of the email.
    The Commission also agrees with MGEX that an exchange should have 
flexibility over the format, style, and location of the notice on its 
website including any indexing or search functionality. The Commission 
believes that adopting the rule as proposed provides sufficient 
flexibility for exchanges in this regard, although the Commission notes 
that an exchange must ensure that access to all disciplinary notices 
remain readily accessible regardless of whether the exchange decides to 
archive notices after a reasonable period of time.
    In response to MGEX's comment requesting that exchanges should be 
given discretion in certain situations to remove a disciplinary notice 
from its website, the Commission acknowledges MGEX's concern that the 
regulatory environment or exchange rules could change over time and 
having notices that are predicated on antiquated rules may confuse 
members, market participants, or the public. However, the Commission 
believes that all disciplinary and access denial notices must be 
maintained on the exchange's website without the possibility of 
removal. Access to information regarding all exchange disciplinary and 
access denial actions provides valuable guidance and information to 
exchange members, market participants, and the public regardless of 
whether the regulatory environment or an exchange rule has changed. For 
example, the notices allow customers to consider member firms' and 
traders' disciplinary histories when considering whether to engage in 
business with them. This includes conduct by firms and traders that 
violated an exchange rule at the time the rule was in effect. The final 
rule also enables customers to consider an exchange's propensity to 
sanction firms and traders for rule violations when considering whether 
to trade on the exchange. In the limited circumstances where an 
exchange believes that a disciplinary notice may confuse its members, 
market participants, or the public as a result of a regulatory 
environment or exchange rule change, an exchange could address this 
concern by posting an attachment to

[[Page 1542]]

the disciplinary notice that explains the nature of any such change.
    The Commission agrees with MGEX that the rulemaking should not be 
applied retroactively to final exchange disciplinary actions. 
Therefore, exchanges only will be required to publish disciplinary 
actions that are finalized after the effective date of the final rules.
    As discussed above, the Commission proposed to amend regulation 
9.2(f) to expand the definition of ``member of an exchange'' to include 
any person who has trading privileges on an exchange. The Commission 
explained that this change is necessary to conform the part 9 
definition of ``member'' to the meaning set forth in section 1a(34) of 
the CEA and in 1.3(q) of the Commission's regulations. The Commission 
is adopting the amendment to regulation 9.2(f) as proposed. The 
Commission notes that 9.2(f)(1) preserves the prior definition of 
``member of an exchange,'' while the inclusion of ``any person who has 
trading privileges on an exchange'' under 9.2(f)(2) conforms the 
``member of an exchange'' definition with the meaning set forth in 
section 1a(34)(B) of the CEA and regulation 1.3(q)(1)(ii).
    The Commission is also adopting the amendment to regulation 
3.31(a)(1) as proposed. Therefore, the final rule relieves applicants 
and registrants from the obligation to update their Form 7-R or 8-R if 
the information to be reported is solely the result of an exchange 
disciplinary or access denial action.

B. Deletion of References to Commission Form 3-R

    The Commission is making an additional technical change to 
regulation 3.31. As reflected in the amended text of the rule, the 
Commission is eliminating the references to Form 3-R from subsections 
(a)(1), (a)(3), (b), and (c)(1) of regulation 3.31 by deleting from 
these subsections the phrase ``to create a Form 3-R record of change.'' 
\30\ The Commission no longer requires market participants to use the 
Form 3-R.\31\ Additionally, by separate Notice, the Commission formally 
proposed to cancel the Form 3-R and transfer the administrative burdens 
associated with that form to Forms 7-R and 8-R.\32\ Accordingly, the 
Commission is updating regulation 3.31 to reflect the retirement of 
Form 3-R. For these same reasons, the Commission is making a similar 
technical change to regulation 3.11. As reflected in the amended text 
of the rule, the Commission is deleting the reference to Form 3-R from 
subsection (b) of regulation 3.11. The Commission notes that these 
changes to regulations 3.11 and 3.31 are purely technical and do not 
affect the obligations of the individuals and entities subject to these 
rules.
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    \30\ The phrase being deleted from subsection (a)(1) of 
regulation 3.31 is ``to create a Form 3-R record of such change.''
    \31\ Registration of Intermediaries, 77 FR 51898 (Aug. 28, 
2012).
    \32\ Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed 
Collection Revision, Comment Request: Adoption of Revised 
Registration Form 8-R and Cancellation of Form 3-R, 82 FR 19663, 
19664 (Apr. 28, 2017).
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C. Notice and Order

    In a separate document published elsewhere in this issue of the 
Federal Register, the Commission issued an updated Notice and Order to 
replace the Part 9 Delegation from 1999 regarding the specific duties 
delegated by the Commission to the NFA for receiving and processing 
exchange disciplinary and access denial information. Among other 
things, the Notice and Order is being updated to account for the 
amendment to regulation 9.11(a) that will require exchanges to file 
disciplinary and access denial actions with the NFA. As discussed 
above, prior to this amendment, exchanges were only encouraged to file 
the notifications with the NFA, but not required. In addition, the 
updated Notice and Order includes SEFs now filing the required notices 
with the NFA as SEFs did not exist when the Commission issued the Part 
9 Delegation and Advisory in 1999.
    Consistent with the Part 9 Delegation, the updated Notice and Order 
delegates to the NFA the authority to perform the following functions: 
(1) To process exchange disciplinary information filed by an exchange 
or the Commission in the BASIC system; (2) to provide the Commission 
with access to a Management Report summarizing all recent exchange 
disciplinary information and to provide the Commission with the 
capability to generate standardized reports on the BASIC system; (3) to 
assist the Commission in enforcing exchange compliance with regulation 
9.11 filing requirements; and (4) to serve as the official custodian of 
a database containing records of all exchange disciplinary and access 
denial actions filed with the NFA for inclusion in the BASIC system.

V. Related Matters

A. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (``RFA'') requires federal agencies, 
in promulgating rules, to consider the impact of those rules on small 
entities.\33\ The Commission did not receive any comments with respect 
to the RFA. The part 9 rules adopted herein will affect all SEFs and 
DCMs. The Commission previously established certain definitions of 
``small entities'' to be used by the Commission in evaluating the 
impact of its regulations on small entities in accordance with the 
RFA.\34\ The Commission previously determined that DCMs and SEFs are 
not small entities for purposes of the RFA.\35\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \33\ 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.
    \34\ See 47 FR 18618 through 18621 (Apr. 30, 1982).
    \35\ See 47 FR 18618, 18619 (Apr. 30, 1982) (DCMs); 78 FR 33548 
(June 4, 2013) (SEFs).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The part 3 rules adopted herein will affect certain applicant or 
registrant FCMs, RFEDs, SDs, MSPs, CTAs, CPOs, IBs, FTs who are non-
natural persons, and LTMs who will no longer have to file a Form 7-R or 
8-R if the information to be reported is solely the result of an 
exchange disciplinary or access denial action. The Commission 
previously determined that FCMs, RFEDs, SDs, MSPs, CPOs, and LTMs are 
not small entities for purposes of the RFA.\36\ Therefore, the 
requirements of the RFA do not apply to those entities. With respect to 
CTAs, FTs, and IBs, the Commission has found it appropriate to consider 
whether such registrants should be deemed small entities for purposes 
of the RFA on a case-by-case basis, in the context of the particular 
Commission regulation at issue.\37\ As certain of these registrants may 
be small entities for purposes of the RFA, the Commission has 
considered whether the final rules will have a significant impact on 
these registrants.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \36\ See Policy Statement and Establishment of Definitions of 
``Small Entities'' for Purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 
47 FR 18618 (Apr. 30, 1982) (FCMs and CPOs); Leverage Transactions, 
54 FR 41068 (Oct. 5, 1989) (LTMs); Regulation of Off-Exchange Retail 
Foreign Exchange Transactions and Intermediaries, 75 FR 55410, 55416 
(Sept. 10, 2010) (RFEDs); and Registration of Swap Dealers and Major 
Swap Participants, 77 FR 2613, 2620 (Jan. 19, 2012) (SDs and MSPs).
    \37\ See 47 FR 18620 (Apr. 30, 1982) (CTAs); Registration of 
Floor Traders; Mandatory Ethics Training for Registrants; Suspension 
of Registrants Charged With Felonies, 58 FR 19575, 19588 (Apr. 15, 
1993) (FTs); and Introducing Brokers and Associated Persons of 
Introducing Brokers, Commodity Trading Advisors and Commodity Pool 
Operators; Registration and Other Regulatory Requirements, 48 FR 
35248, 35276 (Aug. 3, 1983) (IBs).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The amendment to Commission regulation 3.31 is not substantive in 
nature. In 1999, the Commission published the Part 3 Advisory which 
relieved all applicants and registrants from filing a Form 3-R if the 
information to be reported is solely the result of an exchange 
disciplinary or

[[Page 1543]]

access denial action.\38\ Beyond conforming the regulation to an 
established agency policy provided for in the Part 3 Advisory, the 
conforming amendments to regulation 3.31 will not affect the current 
processes or impose any new costs on small entities. The final rule 
codifies the filing relief set forth in the Part 3 Advisory and will 
not impose any new regulatory obligations on any registrant, including 
CTAs, FTs, and IBs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \38\ 64 FR 39912 (July 23, 1999).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission does not, therefore, expect small entities to incur 
any additional costs as a result of the final rules. Consequently, the 
Commission finds that no significant economic impact on small entities 
will result from the final rules.
    Accordingly, the Chairman, on behalf of the Commission pursuant to 
5 U.S.C. 605(b), certifies that the final rules will not have a 
significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities.

B. Paperwork Reduction Act

    The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (``PRA'') imposes certain 
requirements on Federal agencies, including the Commission, in 
connection with their conducting or sponsoring any collection of 
information, as defined by the PRA.\39\ 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 control number issued 
by the Office of Management and Budget (``OMB''). The final rules 
contain provisions that qualify as collections of information, for 
which the Commission has already sought and obtained control numbers 
from the OMB. The titles for these collections of information are 
``Part 38--Core Principles and Other Requirements for Designated 
Contract Markets'' (OMB Control Number 3038-0052) and ``Part 37--Core 
Principles and Other Requirements for Swap Execution Facilities'' (OMB 
Control Number 3038-0074).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \39\ 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    As explained in the NPRM, the Commission did not seek to amend 
information collections 3038-0052 or 3038-0074 because the Commission 
believes that the rule modifications proposed would not impose any new 
information collection requirements that require approval from OMB 
under the PRA.\40\ The Commission invited public comment on the 
accuracy of its determination that no additional recordkeeping or 
information collection requirements or changes to existing collection 
requirements would result from the Proposal.\41\ The Commission did not 
receive any such comments. Accordingly, the Commission believes the 
final rules will not impact the current burden estimates for 
collections 3038-0052 and 3038-0074. The Commission will nevertheless, 
by separate action, publish in the Federal Register a notice and 
request for comment on the additional elements to be included as part 
of exchange notices, and submit to OMB an information collection 
request to amend the relevant information collection, in accordance 
with 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) and 5 CFR 1320.8(d). As noted previously, 
by separate Notice published in the Federal Register, the Commission 
provided notice that the Form 3-R was being cancelled, and that the PRA 
burdens associated with Form 3-R under collections 3038-0023 and 3038-
0072 were being reassigned to Forms 7-R and 8-R.\42\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \40\ 82 FR 7745-46 (Jan. 23, 2017).
    \41\ For collection 3038-0052, see OMB Control No. 3038-0052, 
available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAOMBHistory?ombControlNumber= 3038-0052. For collection 3038-0074, 
see OMB Control No. 3038-0074, available at http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAOMBHistory?ombControlNumber= 3038-0074.
    \42\ 82 FR 19663 (Apr. 28, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Cost-Benefit Considerations

1. Introduction
    Section 15(a) of the CEA requires the Commission to consider the 
costs and benefits of its actions before promulgating a regulation 
under the CEA or issuing certain orders.\43\ Section 15(a) further 
specifies that the costs and benefits shall be evaluated in light of 
five broad areas of market and public concern: (1) Protection of market 
participants and the public; (2) efficiency, competitiveness, and 
financial integrity of the markets; (3) price discovery; (4) sound risk 
management practices; and (5) other public interest considerations. The 
Commission considers the costs and benefits resulting from its 
discretionary determinations with respect to the section 15(a) factors.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ 7 U.S.C. 19(a).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission considers the costs and benefits associated with the 
final rules, including updating the pre-existing regulatory framework 
to incorporate SEFs, removing references to part 8 of the Commission's 
regulations, and revising the reporting and notice requirements for 
DCMs and SEFs. The Commission compares the costs and benefits of this 
rulemaking against a baseline of the status quo, the current 
requirements under part 3 and part 9. As explained in the NPRM, and as 
adopted, the rules are primarily technical in nature that clarify the 
obligations under the current rules and generally do not impose any new 
costs on DCMs, SEFs, or market participants.\44\ Regulation 
9.11(b)(3)(ii) will require the exchanges to specify in the 
disciplinary notices the product involved in the disciplinary action 
and whether the rule violation resulted in financial harm to any 
customers. The Commission acknowledges that these additional elements 
in the disciplinary notices may result in additional costs, but any 
such costs would be de minimis. Accordingly, the Commission addresses 
below the costs associated with Commission regulation 9.13 requirement 
for DCMs and SEFs to publish and maintain disciplinary notices on their 
respective websites.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ 82 FR 7746 (Jan. 23, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In the Proposal, the Commission sought comment concerning all 
aspects of the costs and benefits. The Commission did not receive any 
comments that specifically addressed the Cost-Benefit Considerations 
section of the Proposal. However, MGEX commented that the proposed 
amendment to regulation 9.11(c) that would allow an exchange to only 
have to verify that information has been entered into NFA BASIC instead 
of mailing a notice to the Commission, and the amendment to 9.12(b) 
that would permit an exchange to satisfy its obligations to deliver 
notice of the disciplinary or access denial action by email reduces the 
burden to exchanges, albeit in nominal ways. As discussed above, the 
Commission is amending regulations 9.11(c) and (d) to allow exchanges 
to satisfy their delivery obligations of the disciplinary or access 
denial action to the person subject to the action by email.
    Finally, in light of NFA's role and experience in performing 
registration functions on behalf of the Commission and as the custodian 
of related records (including exchange disciplinary filings), the 
Commission believes that it is appropriate to remove the requirement 
that an exchange provide written notice to the Commission of a final 
disciplinary action or access denial action and replace it with a 
requirement to provide notice to the NFA. NFA performs registration 
processing functions with respect to applicants and registrants and an 
individual's or firm's disciplinary history is a factor that must be 
considered in any fitness determination. Delegating to the NFA the 
responsibility for processing such filings and generating reports with 
the

[[Page 1544]]

information amassed, should ensure that the NFA has the necessary 
information to continue to make appropriate registration 
determinations. The Commission also believes this delegation will 
enhance efficiency by permitting the Commission to carry out its 
statutory responsibilities under the CEA, while also freeing up 
Commission resources to be directed to other parts of its regulatory 
mandate.
2. Commission Regulation 9.13--Publication of Notice
    Commission regulation 9.13 requires all DCMs and SEFs to maintain 
and make readily accessible final notices of exchange disciplinary and 
access denial actions on their websites.\45\ This new requirement 
replaces the existing requirement in Commission regulation 9.13 that 
exchanges publish the notice in a conspicuous place on the exchange's 
premises.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \45\ 17 CFR 9.13.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

a. Costs
    The Commission continues to believe that requiring exchanges to 
post final disciplinary and access denial notices to their websites 
will slightly increase the costs for DCMs and SEFs. The Commission 
notes that the additional costs incurred by DCMs and SEFs will be 
offset in part due to the amendment in Commission regulation 9.13 that 
removes the requirement of posting disciplinary and access denial 
notices on the premises of the respective DCM or SEF. In order to 
estimate the additional costs, the Commission queried the NFA's BASIC 
system to determine the total number of disciplinary and access denial 
actions filed by DCMs and SEFs in 2016.\46\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \46\ The Commission's cost estimates in the NPRM were based on 
the 452 disciplinary and access denial actions filed by DCMs in 
2015. Because SEFs did not post any such actions with BASIC in 2015, 
the cost estimates for SEFs were based on the disciplinary and 
access denial actions filed by DCMs in 2015, excluding the four DCMs 
with the largest number of reported disciplinary and access denial 
actions. The Commission explained that the average number of 
disciplinary and access denial actions by the other 11 DCMs provide 
a more appropriate comparison with respect to estimating the number 
of actions filed by SEFs annually. This average resulted in an 
estimate of eight disciplinary and access denial actions filed in 
BASIC for each SEF annually. The Commission noted that as the SEFs 
mature, in terms of the number of participants and volume, the 
number of disciplinary and access denial actions may increase 
accordingly. 82 FR 7746 (Jan. 23, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Total number of reported disciplinary and access denial actions in 
BASIC by all DCMs: 296.
    Total number of reported disciplinary and access denial actions in 
BASIC by all SEFs: 15.
    The total number of exchange disciplinary and access denial actions 
per year for all DCMs and SEFs is estimated to be 311 (296 actions for 
DCMs plus 15 actions for SEFs equals 311 total actions per year). The 
Commission anticipates each DCM and SEF will spend an additional 15 
minutes per disciplinary notice to post on the exchange's website above 
the current requirement of posting the notice on the exchange's 
premises. Accordingly, the aggregate new burden of Commission 
regulation 9.13 is estimated to be 77.75 hours per year for the 15 DCMs 
and 24 SEFs (15 minutes multiplied by 311 anticipated actions per year 
equals 77.75 burden hours).
    The Commission expects that a compliance officer employed by the 
exchange will post the disciplinary or access denial action notices to 
the exchange website. According to recent Bureau of Labor Statistics 
National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates, the mean hourly 
wage of an employee under occupation code 13-1041, ``Compliance 
Officers,'' that is employed by the ``Securities and Commodity 
Exchanges'' industry is $46.01. Because DCMs and SEFs can be large, 
specialized entities that may engage employees with wages above the 
mean, the Commission has conservatively chosen to use a mean hourly 
wage of $50 per hour.\47\ Accordingly, the burden associated with 
posting the disciplinary notices on exchange websites is approximately 
$3,887.50 per year for all of the 15 DCMs and 24 SEFs, ($50 multiplied 
by the anticipated 77.75 burden hours equals $3,887.50 per year).\48\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \47\ Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and 
Wages: 13-1041 Compliance Officers, (May 2014), available at http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131041.htm.
    \48\ As noted in the NPRM, the Commission acknowledges that 
requiring exchanges to post final notices of disciplinary and access 
denial actions on their websites may necessitate additional 
bandwidth. The Commission anticipates that any increased costs due 
to added bandwidth will be insignificant in its calculation of the 
total annual burden associated with the final rules. 82 FR 7747 
(Jan. 23, 2017).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

b. Benefits
    The Commission continues to believe that greater access to 
information regarding exchange disciplinary and access denial actions 
provides valuable guidance and information to exchange members, market 
participants, and the public. Releasing disciplinary information to the 
public serves to deter and prevent future misconduct and to improve 
overall compliance standards in the futures and swaps industry. It also 
allows customers to consider member firms' and traders' disciplinary 
histories when considering whether to engage in business with them. In 
addition, firms may use such information to educate their traders and 
associated persons as to compliance matters, highlighting potential 
violations and related sanctions. Further, any firm or individual 
facing allegations of rule violations may access existing disciplinary 
decisions to gain greater insight on related facts and sanctions. The 
Commission believes that the added deterrence of publishing 
disciplinary notices on exchange websites and the enhanced 
investigative and educational benefits of making such information 
public will ultimately decrease the incidents of wrongdoing and market 
abuses which benefits both market participants and the general public.
c. Section 15(a) Factors
    As noted above, section 15(a) of the CEA requires the Commission to 
consider the effects of its actions in light of the following five 
factors:
    (1) Protection of market participants and the public. The 
Commission believes that market participants and the public will 
benefit from the ministerial and conforming amendments since they 
eliminate obsolete, vestigial provisions and references that otherwise 
could be construed to give rise to confusing inconsistencies between 
the Commission's regulations and the provisions of the CEA. 
Furthermore, the Commission believes that the amendment to regulation 
9.13, which requires exchanges to publish notice of final disciplinary 
and access denial actions on exchange websites, increases transparency 
of exchange disciplinary actions and serves as a deterrence of future 
market abuses. These enhancements allow for operational efficiencies in 
oversight, increased deterrence from market abuses, and greater 
transparency of the exchange disciplinary process. Therefore, the 
Commission anticipates that the amendment to regulation 9.13 will 
result in improved protection of market participants and the public.
    (2) The efficiency, competitiveness, and financial integrity of the 
markets. The requirement that exchanges publish disciplinary notices 
and access denial actions on their websites is intended to improve the 
operational efficiency and financial integrity of the futures and swaps 
markets by enabling the public and those who access an exchange website 
to be made aware of any disciplinary and access denial actions imposed 
by the exchange. By publishing

[[Page 1545]]

the notice on the exchange's website, the Commission believes that the 
efficiency and financial integrity of the markets will be bolstered by 
the deterrent effect achieved by posting the notice in a publicly 
accessible medium.
    (3) Price discovery. The Commission did not identify any impact on 
price discovery as a result of the proposed regulations, and did not 
believe there would be one, but sought comment as to any potential 
impact. The Commission did not receive any comments on this issue. 
Accordingly, the Commission believes that the final regulations will 
not impact price discovery.
    (4) Sound risk management practices. The Commission did not 
identify any impact on sound risk management practices as a result of 
the proposed regulations, and did not believe there would be one, but 
sought comment as to any potential impact. The Commission did not 
receive any comments on this issue. Accordingly, the Commission 
believes that the final regulations will not impact sound risk 
management practices.
    (5) Other public interest considerations. The Commission has not 
identified any other public interest considerations.

D. Antitrust Considerations

    Section 15(b) of the CEA requires the Commission to take into 
consideration the public interest to be protected by the antitrust laws 
and endeavor to take the least anticompetitive means of achieving the 
objectives of the CEA in issuing any order or adopting any Commission 
rule or regulation. The Commission does not anticipate that the 
amendments adopted herein would promote or result in anticompetitive 
consequences or behavior.

List of Subjects

17 CFR Part 3

    Administrative practice and procedure, Brokers, Commodity futures, 
Major swap participants, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Swap 
dealers.

17 CFR Part 9

    Administrative practice and procedure, Commodity exchanges, 
Commodity futures.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Commodity Futures 
Trading Commission amends 17 CFR chapter I as follows:

PART 3--REGISTRATION

0
1. The authority citation for part 3 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  5 U.S.C. 552, 552b; 7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 6a, 6b, 6b-1, 
6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6k, 6m, 6n, 6o, 6p, 6s, 8, 9, 9a, 12, 
12a, 13b, 13c, 16a, 18, 19, 21, and 23.


0
2. In Sec.  3.11, revise paragraph (b) to read as follows:


Sec.  3.11  Registration of floor brokers and floor traders.

* * * * *
    (b) Duration of registration. A person registered as a floor broker 
or floor trader in accordance with paragraph (a) of this section, and 
whose registration has neither been revoked nor withdrawn, will 
continue to be so registered unless such person's trading privileges on 
all contract markets and swap execution facilities have ceased: 
Provided, that if a floor broker or floor trader whose trading 
privileges on all contract markets and swap execution facilities have 
ceased for reasons unrelated to any Commission action or any contract 
market or swap execution facility disciplinary proceeding and whose 
registration is not revoked, suspended or withdrawn is granted trading 
privileges as a floor broker or floor trader, respectively, by any 
contract market or swap execution facility where such person held such 
privileges within the preceding sixty days, such registration as a 
floor broker or floor trader, respectively, shall be deemed to continue 
and no new Form 7-R, Form 8-R or change to Form 7-R or Form 8-R need be 
filed solely on the basis of the resumption of trading privileges. A 
floor broker or floor trader is prohibited from engaging in activities 
requiring registration under the Act or from representing such person 
to be a registrant under the Act or the representative or agent of any 
registrant during the pendency of any suspension of such registration 
or of all such trading privileges. Each contract market and swap 
execution facility that has granted trading privileges to a person who 
is registered, or has applied for registration, as a floor broker or 
floor trader, must provide notice in accordance with Sec.  3.31(d) 
after such person's trading privileges on such contract market or swap 
execution facility have ceased.
* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  3.31, revise paragraphs (a)(1), (a)(3)(i), (b), and (c)(1) 
to read as follows:


Sec.  3.31  Deficiencies, inaccuracies, and changes, to be reported.

    (a)(1) Each applicant or registrant as a futures commission 
merchant, retail foreign exchange dealer, swap dealer, major swap 
participant, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, 
introducing broker, floor trader that is a non-natural person or 
leverage transaction merchant shall, in accordance with the 
instructions thereto, promptly correct any deficiency or inaccuracy in 
Form 7-R or Form 8-R that no longer renders accurate and current the 
information contained therein, with the exception of any change that 
requires withdrawal from registration under Sec.  3.33 or any change 
resulting from an exchange disciplinary or access denial action. Each 
such correction shall be prepared and filed in accordance with the 
instructions thereto.
* * * * *
    (3) * * *
    (i) If the new principal is not a natural person, the registrant 
shall update such Form 7-R.
* * * * *
    (b) Each applicant or registrant as a floor broker, floor trader or 
associated person, and each principal of a futures commission merchant, 
retail foreign exchange dealer, swap dealer, major swap participant, 
commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, introducing broker, 
floor trader that is a non-natural person, or leverage transaction 
merchant must, in accordance with the instructions thereto, promptly 
correct any deficiency or inaccuracy in the Form 8-R or supplemental 
statement thereto.
    (c)(1) After the filing of a Form 8-R or updating a Form 8-R by or 
on behalf of any person for the purpose of permitting that person to be 
an associated person of a futures commission merchant, retail foreign 
exchange dealer, commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator, 
introducing broker, or a leverage transaction merchant, that futures 
commission merchant, retail foreign exchange dealer, commodity trading 
advisor, commodity pool operator, introducing broker or leverage 
transaction merchant must, within thirty days after the occurrence of 
either of the following, file a notice thereof with the National 
Futures Association indicating:
    (i) The failure of that person to become associated with the 
futures commission merchant, retail foreign exchange dealer, commodity 
trading advisor, commodity pool operator, introducing broker, or 
leverage transaction merchant, and the reasons therefor; or
    (ii) The termination of the association of the associated person 
with the futures commission merchant, retail foreign exchange dealer, 
commodity trading advisor, commodity pool operator,

[[Page 1546]]

introducing broker, or leverage transaction merchant, and the reasons 
therefor.
* * * * *

PART 9--RULES RELATING TO REVIEW OF EXCHANGE DISCIPLINARY, ACCESS 
DENIAL OR OTHER ADVERSE ACTIONS

0
4. The authority citation for part 9 is revised to read as follows:

    Authority:  7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 6b-1, 6c, 7, 7a-2, 7b-3, 8, 9, 9a, 
12, 12a, 12c, 13b, 16a, 18, 19, and 21.


0
5. In Sec.  9.1, revise paragraphs (b) and (c) to read as follows:


Sec.  9.1  Scope of rules.

* * * * *
    (b) Matters excluded. This part does not apply to and the 
Commission will not accept notices of appeal, or petitions for stay 
pending review, of:
    (1) Any arbitration proceeding, regardless of whether the 
proceeding involved a controversy between members of an exchange;
    (2) Except as provided in Sec. Sec.  9.11(a), (b)(3)(i) through 
(v), and (c), and 9.12(a) and 9.13 (concerning the notice, effective 
date and publication of a disciplinary or access denial action), any 
summary action permitted under the provisions of part 37, appendix B, 
Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(13) of this chapter or part 38, 
appendix B, Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(6) of this chapter 
imposing a minor penalty for the violation of exchange rules relating 
to decorum or attire, or relating to the timely submission of accurate 
records required for clearing or verifying each day's transactions or 
other similar activities; and
    (3) Any exchange action arising from a claim, grievance, or dispute 
involving cash market transactions which are not a part of, or directly 
connected with, any transaction for the purchase, sale, delivery or 
exercise of a commodity for future delivery, a commodity option, or a 
swap.
    (4) The Commission will, upon its own motion or upon motion filed 
pursuant to Sec.  9.21(b), promptly notify the appellant and the 
exchange that it will not accept the notice of appeal or petition for 
stay of matters specified in this paragraph. The determination to 
decline to accept a notice of appeal will be without prejudice to the 
appellant's right to seek alternate forms of relief that may be 
available in any other forum.
    (c) Applicability of these part 9 rules. Unless otherwise ordered, 
these rules will apply in their entirety to all appeals, and matters 
relating thereto.

0
6. In Sec.  9.2, revise paragraphs (b), (c), (f), and (k) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  9.2  Definitions.

* * * * *
    (b) Disciplinary action means any suspension, expulsion or other 
penalty imposed on a person by an exchange for violations of rules of 
the exchange, including summary actions.
    (c) Exchange means a swap execution facility or any board of trade 
which has been designated as a contract market.
* * * * *
    (f) Member of an exchange means:
    (1) Any person who is admitted to membership or has been granted 
membership privileges on an exchange; any employee, officer, partner, 
director or affiliate of such member or person with membership 
privileges including any associated person; and any other person under 
the supervision or control of such member or person with membership 
privileges; or
    (2) Any person who has trading privileges on an exchange.
* * * * *
    (k) Summary action means a disciplinary action resulting in the 
imposition of a penalty on a person for violation of rules of the 
exchange permitted under the provisions of part 37, appendix B, Core 
Principle 2, paragraph (a)(10)(vi) of this chapter or part 38, appendix 
B, Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(4) of this chapter (penalty for 
impeding progress of hearing); part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, 
paragraph (a)(14) of this chapter or part 38, appendix B, Core 
Principle 13, paragraph (a)(7) of this chapter (emergency disciplinary 
actions); part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(13) of 
this chapter (summary fines for violations of rules regarding timely 
submission of records); or part 38, appendix B, Core Principle 13, 
paragraph (a)(6) of this chapter (summary fines for violations of rules 
regarding timely submission of records, decorum, or other similar 
activities).

0
7. Revise Sec.  9.3 to read as follows:


Sec.  9.3  Provisions referenced.

    Except as otherwise provided in this part, the following provisions 
of the Commission's rules relating to reparations contained in part 12 
of this chapter apply to this part: Sec.  12.3 (Business address; 
hours); Sec.  12.5 (Computation of time); Sec.  12.6 (Extensions of 
time; adjournments; postponements); Sec.  12.7 (Ex parte communications 
in reparation proceedings); and Sec.  12.12 (Signature).

0
8. In Sec.  9.4, revise paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) to read as 
follows:


Sec.  9.4  Filing and service; official docket.

    (a) Filing with the Proceedings Clerk; proof of filing; proof of 
service. Any document that is required by this part to be filed with 
the Proceedings Clerk must be filed by delivering it in person or by 
mail to: Proceedings Clerk, Office of Proceedings, Commodity Futures 
Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street NW, 
Washington, DC 20581. To be timely filed under this part, a document 
must be delivered or mailed to the Proceedings Clerk within the time 
prescribed for filing. A party must use a means of filing which is at 
least as expeditious as that used in serving that document upon the 
other parties. Proof of filing must be made by attaching to the 
document for filing a statement of service as provided in Sec.  
10.12(a)(6) of this chapter.
    (b) Formalities of filing--(1) Number of copies. Unless otherwise 
specifically provided, an original and one conformed copy of all 
documents filed with the Commission in accordance with the provisions 
of this part must be filed with the Proceedings Clerk.
    (2) Title page. All documents filed with the Proceedings Clerk must 
include at the head thereof, or on a title page, the name of the 
Commission, the title of the proceeding, the docket number (if one has 
been assigned by the Proceedings Clerk), the subject of the particular 
document and the name of the person on whose behalf the document is 
being filed.
    (3) Paper, spacing, type. All documents filed with the Proceedings 
Clerk must be typewritten, must be on one grade of good white paper no 
less than 8 or more than 8\1/2\ inches wide and no less than 10\1/2\ or 
more than 11\1/2\ inches long, and must be bound on the top only. They 
must be double-spaced, except for long quotations (3 or more lines) and 
footnotes which should be single-spaced.
    (4) Signature. The original copy of all papers must be signed in 
ink by the person filing the same or by his or her duly authorized 
agent or attorney.
    (c) Service--(1) General requirements. All documents filed with the 
Proceedings Clerk must, at or before the time of filing, be served upon 
all parties. A party must use a means of service which is at least as 
expeditious as that used in filing that document with the Proceedings 
Clerk. One copy of all motions, petitions or applications made in the 
course of the proceeding, all notices of appeal, all briefs, and 
letters to the Commission or an employee thereof must be served by a 
party upon all other parties.

[[Page 1547]]

    (2) Manner of service. Service may be either personal or by mail. 
Service by mail is complete upon deposit of the document in the mail. 
Where service is effected by mail, the time within which the person 
served may respond thereto will be increased by three days.
    (3) Designation of person to receive service. The first document 
filed in a proceeding by or on behalf of any party must state on the 
first page the name and postal address of the person who is authorized 
to receive service for the party of all documents filed in the 
proceeding. Thereafter, service of documents must be made upon the 
person authorized unless service on a different authorized person or on 
the party himself or herself is ordered by the Commission, or unless 
pursuant to Sec.  9.8 the person authorized is changed by the party 
upon due notice to all other parties. Parties must file and serve 
notification of any changes in the information provided pursuant to 
this subparagraph as soon as practicable after the change occurs.
* * * * *

0
9. In Sec.  9.8, revise paragraph (a)(1) to read as follows:


Sec.  9.8  Practice before the Commission.

    (a) * * *
    (1) By non-attorneys. An individual may appear pro se (on his or 
her own behalf); a general partner may represent the partnership; a 
bona fide officer of a corporation, trust or association may represent 
the corporation, trust or association.
* * * * *

0
10. In Sec.  9.9, revise paragraphs (b)(3) and (4) to read as follows:


Sec.  9.9  Waiver of rules; delegation of authority.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (3) The General Counsel, or his or her designee, may submit to the 
Commission for its consideration any matter which has been delegated 
pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this section.
    (4) Nothing in this section will be deemed to prohibit the 
Commission, at its election, from exercising the authority delegated to 
the General Counsel, or his or her designee, under this section.

0
11. Revise Sec.  9.11 to read as follows:


Sec.  9.11  Form, contents and delivery of notice of disciplinary or 
access denial action.

    (a) When required. Whenever an exchange decision pursuant to which 
a disciplinary action or access denial action is to be imposed has 
become final, the exchange must, within thirty days thereafter, provide 
written notice of such action to the person against whom the action was 
taken and notice to the National Futures Association (``NFA'') through 
the NFA's Background Affiliation Status Information Center (``BASIC'') 
system: Provided, That a designated contract market is not required to 
notify the NFA of any summary action, as permitted under the provisions 
of part 38, appendix B, Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(6) of this 
chapter, which results in the imposition of minor penalties for the 
violation of exchange rules relating to decorum or attire. No final 
disciplinary or access denial action may be made effective by the 
exchange except as provided in Sec.  9.12.
    (b) Contents of notice. For purposes of this part:
    (1) The written notice of a disciplinary action or access denial 
action provided to the person against whom the action was taken by a 
designated contract market must be a copy of a written decision which 
accords with:
    (i) Part 38, appendix B, Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(3) of 
this chapter in the case of settlement offers;
    (ii) Section 38.708 of this chapter in the case of decisions; or
    (iii) Part 38, appendix B, Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(5)(iv) 
of this chapter in the case of appeal decisions (including copies of 
any materials incorporated by reference) or other written notice which 
must include items listed in paragraphs (b)(3)(i)--(vi) of this 
section.
    (2) The written notice of a disciplinary action or access denial 
action provided to the person against whom the action was taken by a 
swap execution facility must be a copy of a written decision which 
accords with:
    (i) Part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(9) of this 
chapter in the case of settlement offers;
    (ii) Section 37.206(d) of this chapter in the case of decisions; or
    (iii) Part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(11)(iv) 
of this chapter in the case of appeal decisions (including copies of 
any materials incorporated by reference) or other written notice which 
must include items listed in paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (vi) of this 
section.
    (3) The notice of a disciplinary action or access denial action 
provided to the NFA must include only the items listed in the following 
paragraphs (b)(3)(i) through (v):
    (i) The name of the person against whom the disciplinary action or 
access denial action was taken;
    (ii) A statement of the reasons for the disciplinary action or 
access denial action, detailing the exchange product which was 
involved, as applicable, and whether the violation that resulted in the 
action also resulted in financial harm to any customers together with a 
listing of any rules which the person who was the subject of the 
disciplinary action or access denial action was charged with having 
violated or which otherwise serve as the basis of the exchange action;
    (iii) A statement of the conclusions and findings made by the 
exchange with regard to each rule violation charged or, in the event of 
settlement, a statement specifying those rule violations which the 
exchange has reason to believe were committed;
    (iv) The terms of the disciplinary action or access denial action;
    (v) The date on which the action was taken and the date the 
exchange intends to make the disciplinary or access denial action 
effective; and
    (vi) Except as otherwise provided in Sec.  9.1(b), a statement 
informing the party subject to the disciplinary action or access denial 
action of the availability of Commission review of the exchange action 
pursuant to section 8c of the Act and this part.
    (c) Delivery and filing of the notice. Delivery of the notice must 
be made personally to the person who was the subject of the 
disciplinary action or access denial action, by mail to such person at 
that person's last known address, or by email to the person's last 
known email address. Filing of the notice with the NFA is accomplished 
when an authorized exchange employee verifies the accuracy of the 
information entered into BASIC.
    (d) Effect of delivery by mail or email. Delivery by mail to the 
person disciplined or denied access will be complete upon deposit in 
the mail of a properly addressed and postpaid document. Where delivery 
to the person disciplined or denied access is effected by such mail, 
the time within which a notice of appeal or petition for stay may be 
filed will be increased by three days. Delivery by email will be 
complete upon transmission of the email.
    (e) Certification. Copies of the notice and the submission of any 
additional information provided pursuant to this section must be 
certified as true and correct by a duly authorized officer, agent or 
employee of the exchange. Notice filed with the NFA is deemed certified 
when an authorized exchange employee verifies the accuracy of the 
information entered into BASIC.

0
12. Revise Sec.  9.12 to read as follows:

[[Page 1548]]

Sec.  9.12  Effective date of disciplinary or access denial action.

    (a) Effective date. Any disciplinary or access denial action taken 
by an exchange will not become effective until at least fifteen days 
after the written notice prescribed by Sec.  9.11 is delivered to the 
person disciplined or denied access; Provided, however, That the 
exchange may cause a disciplinary action to become effective prior to 
that time if:
    (1) As permitted by part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, 
paragraph (a)(14) of this chapter or part 38, appendix B, Core 
Principle 13, paragraph (a)(7) of this chapter (emergency disciplinary 
actions), the exchange reasonably believes, and so states in its 
written decision, that immediate action is necessary to protect the 
best interests of the marketplace; or
    (2) As permitted by part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, 
paragraph (a)(10)(vi) of this chapter or part 38, appendix B, Core 
Principle 13, paragraph (a)(4) of this chapter (hearings), the exchange 
determines, and so states in its written decision, that the actions of 
a person who is within the exchange's jurisdiction has impeded the 
progress of a disciplinary hearing; or
    (3) As permitted by part 37, appendix B, Core Principle 2, 
paragraph (a)(13) of this chapter (summary fines for violations of 
rules regarding timely submission of records) or part 38, appendix B, 
Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(6) of this chapter (summary fines for 
violations of rules regarding timely submission of records, decorum, or 
other similar activities), the exchange determines that a person has 
violated exchange rules relating to decorum or attire, or timely 
submission of accurate records required for clearing or verifying each 
day's transactions or other similar activities; or
    (4) The person against whom the action is taken has consented to 
the penalty to be imposed and to the timing of its effectiveness.
    (b) Notice of early effective date. If the exchange determines in 
accordance with paragraph (a)(1) of this section that a disciplinary 
action will become effective prior to the expiration of fifteen days 
after written notice thereof, it must notify the person disciplined in 
writing, either personally or by email to the person's last known email 
address, stating the reasons for the determination. The exchange must 
also immediately notify the Commission by email to [email protected]. 
Where notice is delivered by email, the time within which the person so 
notified may file a petition for stay pursuant to Sec.  9.24(a)(2) will 
be increased by one day.

0
13. Revise Sec.  9.13 to read as follows:


Sec.  9.13  Publication of notice.

    Whenever an exchange suspends, expels or otherwise disciplines, or 
denies any person access to the exchange, it must make public its 
findings by disclosing at least the information contained in the notice 
required by Sec.  9.11(b). An exchange must make such findings public 
as soon as the disciplinary action or access denial action becomes 
effective in accordance with the provisions of Sec.  9.12 by posting a 
notice on its website to which its members and the public regularly 
have access. Such notice must be maintained and readily available on 
the exchange's website.

0
14. In Sec.  9.24, revise paragraph (a)(2) to read as follows:


Sec.  9.24  Petition for stay pending review.

    (a) * * *
    (2) Within ten days after a notice of summary action has been 
delivered in accordance with Sec.  9.12(b) to a person who is the 
subject of a summary action permitted by part 37, appendix B, Core 
Principle 2, paragraph (a)(14) of this chapter or part 38, appendix B, 
Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(7) of this chapter (emergency 
disciplinary actions), that person may petition the Commission to stay 
the effectiveness of the summary action pending completion of the 
exchange proceeding.
* * * * *

0
15. Revise Sec.  9.31 to read as follows:


Sec.  9.31  Commission review of disciplinary or access denial action 
on its own motion.

    (a) Request for additional information. Where a person disciplined 
or denied access has not appealed the exchange decision to the 
Commission, upon review of the notice specified in Sec.  9.11, the 
Division of Market Oversight or the Division of Swap Dealer and 
Intermediary Oversight may request that the exchange file with the 
Division the record of the exchange proceeding, or designated portions 
of the record, a brief statement of the evidence and testimony adduced 
to support the exchange's findings that a rule or rules of the exchange 
were violated and such recordings, transcripts and other documents 
applicable to the particular exchange proceeding as the Division may 
specify. The exchange must promptly advise the person who is the 
subject of the disciplinary or access denial action of the Division's 
request. Within thirty days after service of the Division's request, 
the exchange must file the information requested with the Division in 
the manner requested by the Division and, upon request, deliver that 
information to the person who is the subject of the disciplinary or 
access denial action. Delivery to the person who is the subject of the 
disciplinary or access denial action must be in the manner prescribed 
by Sec.  9.11(c). A person subject to the disciplinary action or access 
denial action requesting a copy of the information furnished to the 
Division must, if the exchange rules so provide, agree to pay the 
exchange reasonable fees for printing the copy.
    (b) Review on motion of the Commission. The Commission may 
institute review of an exchange disciplinary or access denial action on 
its own motion. Other than in extraordinary circumstances, such review 
will be initiated within 180 days after the NFA has received the notice 
of exchange action provided for in Sec.  9.11. If the Commission should 
institute review on its own motion, it will issue an order permitting 
the person who is the subject of the disciplinary or access denial 
action an opportunity to file an appropriate submission, and the 
exchange an opportunity to file a reply thereto.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on January 9, 2018, by the Commission.
Christopher J. Kirkpatrick,
Secretary of the Commission.

    Note: The following appendix will not appear in the Code of 
Federal Regulations.

Appendix to Technical Amendments to Rules on Registration and Review of 
Exchange Disciplinary, Access Denial or Other Adverse Actions--
Commission Voting Summary

    On this matter, Chairman Giancarlo and Commissioners Quintenz 
and Behnam voted in the affirmative. No Commissioner voted in the 
negative.

[FR Doc. 2018-00467 Filed 1-11-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6351-01-P



                                              1538                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                                 Class D and E airspace designations                  Adoption of the Amendment                                ACTION:   Final rule.
                                              are published in paragraph 5000, and                      In consideration of the foregoing, the
                                              6005, respectively, of FAA Order                        Federal Aviation Administration                          SUMMARY:     The Commodity Futures
                                              7400.11B dated August 3, 2017, and                      amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows:                        Trading Commission (‘‘CFTC’’ or
                                              effective September 15, 2017, which is                                                                           ‘‘Commission’’) is adopting certain
                                              incorporated by reference in 14 CFR                     PART 71—DESIGNATION OF CLASS A,                          amendments to its rules that,
                                              71.1. The Class E airspace designations                 B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR                       respectively, govern registration of
                                              listed in this document will be                         TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND                              intermediaries and relate to the
                                              published subsequently in the Order.                    REPORTING POINTS                                         Commission’s review of exchange
                                              Availability and Summary of                                                                                      disciplinary, access denial, or other
                                                                                                      ■ 1. The authority citation for part 71                  adverse actions. Generally speaking,
                                              Documents for Incorporation by
                                                                                                      continues to read as follows:                            these amendments are technical in
                                              Reference
                                                                                                        Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103,            nature. The amendments to both areas
                                                This document proposes to amend                       40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR,             of the rules integrate existing advisory
                                              FAA Order 7400.11B, Airspace                            1959–1963 Comp., p. 389.                                 guidance. The amendments to the rules
                                              Designations and Reporting Points,                                                                               on review of exchange disciplinary,
                                              dated August 3, 2017, and effective                     § 71.1       [Amended]                                   access denial, or other adverse actions
                                              September 15, 2017. FAA Order                           ■ 2. The incorporation by reference in                   also incorporate swap execution
                                              7400.11A is publicly available as listed                14 CFR 71.1 of Federal Aviation                          facilities (‘‘SEFs’’) and update
                                              in the ADDRESSES section of this                        Administration Order 7400.11B,                           provisions currently applicable to
                                              document. FAA Order 7400.11B lists                      Airspace Designations and Reporting                      designated contract markets (‘‘DCMs’’).
                                              Class A, B, C, D, and E airspace areas,                 Points, dated August 3, 2017, effective                  These final rules also remove numerous
                                              air traffic service routes, and reporting               September 15, 2017, is amended as                        outdated cross-references, and add
                                              points.                                                 follows:                                                 citations to applicable parallel
                                              The Rule                                                Paragraph 5000         Class D Airspace.
                                                                                                                                                               provisions contained in other
                                                                                                                                                               Commission regulations pertaining to
                                                 This action amends Title 14 Code of                  *        *      *       *      *                         SEFs and DCMs. Additionally, the final
                                              Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71 by                 AEA VA D Fort Eustis, VA [Amended]                       rules address the publication of final
                                              removing Class E airspace designated as                 Felker Army Airfield, Fort Eustis, VA                    disciplinary and access denial actions
                                              an extension to a Class D surface area at                 (Lat. 37°07′57″ N, long. 76°36′32″ W)                  taken by the SEFs and DCMs on their
                                              Felker Army Airfield, Fort Eustis, VA,                    That airspace extending upward from the                exchange websites.
                                              due to the decommissioning of the                       surface to and including 2,500 feet MSL
                                              Felker NDB and cancellation of the NDB                                                                           DATES: This final rule is effective March
                                                                                                      within a 4.4-mile radius of Felker Army
                                              approach, and for continued safety and                  Airfield, excluding the portion that coincides
                                                                                                                                                               13, 2018.
                                              management of IFR operations at the                     with the Newport News, VA, Class D airspace              FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
                                              airport. The geographic coordinates of                  area. This Class D airspace area is effective            Rachel Berdansky, Deputy Director,
                                              the airport are adjusted under Class D to               during specific dates and times established in
                                                                                                                                                               202–418–5429 or rberdansky@cftc.gov;
                                              coincide with the FAA’s aeronautical                    advance by a Notice to Airmen. The effective
                                                                                                      dates and times will thereafter be published             David Steinberg, Associate Director,
                                              database.                                               continuously in the Chart Supplement.                    202–418–5102 or dsteinberg@cftc.gov;
                                                 Additionally, this action removes the                                                                         Division of Market Oversight,
                                              words ‘‘(formerly the Airport/Facility                  Paragraph 6004 Class E Airspace                          Commodity Futures Trading
                                              Directory)’’ from the Class D airspace                  Designated as an Extension to a Class D
                                                                                                                                                               Commission, Three Lafayette Centre,
                                                                                                      Surface Area.
                                              legal description.                                                                                               1151 21st Street NW, Washington, DC
                                                 The FAA has determined that this                     *        *      *       *      *                         20581.
                                              regulation only involves an established                 AEA VA E4           Fort Eustis, VA [Removed]
                                              body of technical regulations for which                                                                          SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
                                              frequent and routine amendments are                        Issued in College Park, Georgia, on January
                                                                                                      4, 2018.                                                 Table of Contents
                                              necessary to keep them operationally
                                              current. Therefore, this regulation: (1) Is             Ryan W. Almasy,                                          I. Background
                                                                                                      Manager, Operations Support Group, Eastern                  A. Description of Part 9
                                              not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’
                                                                                                      Service Center, Air Traffic Organization.                   B. DCM Final Rules and Part 8 Removal
                                              under Executive Order 12866; (2) is not                                                                             C. SEF Final Rules
                                              a ‘‘significant rule’’ under DOT                        [FR Doc. 2018–00397 Filed 1–11–18; 8:45 am]
                                                                                                                                                               II. Summary of the Proposal
                                              Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44                  BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
                                                                                                                                                                  A. Amendments to Part 9: Rules Relating
                                              FR 11034; February 26, 1979); and (3)                                                                                  to Review of Exchange Disciplinary,
                                              does not warrant preparation of a                                                                                      Access Denial or Other Adverse Actions
                                              regulatory evaluation as the anticipated                COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING                                   B. Amendment to Regulation 3.31:
                                              impact is so minimal. Since this is a                   COMMISSION                                                     Deficiencies, Inaccuracies, and Changes
                                              routine matter that only affects air traffic                                                                           To Be Reported
                                              procedures and air navigation, it is                    17 CFR Parts 3 and 9                                     III. Comments on the Proposal
                                              certified that this rule, when                                                                                   IV. Final Rules and Notice and Order
                                              promulgated, does not have a significant                RIN 3038–AE15                                               A. Final Rules
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with RULES




                                                                                                                                                                  B. Deletion of References to Commission
                                              economic impact on a substantial                        Technical Amendments to Rules on                               Form 3–R
                                              number of small entities under the                      Registration and Review of Exchange                         C. Notice and Order
                                              criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.             Disciplinary, Access Denial, or Other                    V. Related Matters
                                              Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71                     Adverse Actions                                             A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
                                                                                                                                                                  B. Paperwork Reduction Act
                                               Airspace, Incorporation by reference,                  AGENCY:Commodity Futures Trading                            C. Cost-Benefit Considerations
                                              Navigation (air).                                       Commission.                                                 D. Antitrust Considerations



                                         VerDate Sep<11>2014   15:52 Jan 11, 2018   Jkt 244001   PO 00000   Frm 00024     Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\12JAR1.SGM   12JAR1


                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                   1539

                                              I. Background                                           result of this removal, the current part               action’’ definition is consistent with the
                                                                                                      9 rules, which contain cross-references                statutory language found in Core
                                              A. Description of Part 9
                                                                                                      to part 8 throughout, are being updated                Principle 2 for DCMs and section 8c(b)
                                                 On December 20, 1978, the                            in the final rules to instead cite to                  of the CEA, as amended by the Dodd-
                                              Commission adopted part 9 rules                         parallel provisions now contained in                   Frank Act.14 Second, the Commission
                                              relating to the Commission’s review of                  part 37 for SEFs and part 38 for DCMs.                 proposed to amend the definition of
                                              exchange disciplinary, access denial, or                                                                       ‘‘exchange’’ in regulation 9.2(c) to
                                              other adverse actions.1 These rules                     C. SEF Final Rules
                                                                                                                                                             include SEFs. This change makes it
                                              detail the process and procedures for                      On June 4, 2013, the Commission                     clear that the Commission has the
                                              Commission review, including the                        adopted new rules in part 37 for SEFs                  discretion to review adverse actions
                                              appellate process in cases where a                      (‘‘SEF Final Rules’’).8 In regulation 37.2             imposed by a SEF and clarify that SEFs
                                              person applies to the Commission for                    of the SEF Final Rules, the Commission                 are subject to all of the part 9
                                              review. The rules also address the                      specified that SEFs shall comply with                  requirements.15 Third, the Commission
                                              procedures and standards governing                      the requirements of part 9.9                           proposed to amend regulation 9.2(f) to
                                              filing and service, motions, and                        Accordingly, for clarity purposes, the                 expand the definition of ‘‘member of an
                                              settlement; the process that exchanges                  final rules amend certain part 9                       exchange’’ to include any person who
                                              must follow in providing notice of the                  definitions and language which have                    has trading privileges on an exchange.
                                              final disciplinary action to the subject of             not yet been addressed, to integrate                   This change is necessary to conform the
                                              the action and to the Commission; and                   them into the post-Dodd-Frank                          part 9 definition of ‘‘member’’ to the
                                              the publication of such notice. As                      regulatory regime.                                     meaning set forth in section 1a(34) of
                                              discussed below, DCMs and SEFs are                                                                             the CEA and in 1.3(q) of the
                                                                                                      II. Summary of the Proposal
                                              already required to comply with the part                                                                       Commission’s regulations.16 Fourth, the
                                              9 regulations.                                          A. Amendments to Part 9: Rules                         Commission proposed to amend the
                                                                                                      Relating to Review of Exchange                         definition of ‘‘summary action’’ in
                                              B. DCM Final Rules and Part 8 Removal
                                                                                                      Disciplinary, Access Denial or Other                   regulation 9.2(k) by adding references to
                                                 In June 2012, the Commission                         Adverse Actions                                        part 37 for SEFs and replacing the part
                                              adopted final regulations for DCMs                                                                             8 references with the relevant
                                                                                                         On January 23, 2017, the Commission
                                              (‘‘DCM Final Rules’’).2 Commission                                                                             provisions from part 38.17
                                                                                                      published a Notice of Proposed
                                              regulation 38.2 of the DCM Final Rules
                                                                                                      Rulemaking (‘‘NPRM’’ or ‘‘Proposal’’) to
                                              provides that DCMs ‘‘shall comply with                                                                            14 Section 735 of the Dodd-Frank Act amends
                                                                                                      amend certain part 3 and part 9 rules.10
                                              all applicable regulations under Title 17                                                                      section 5 of the CEA, including DCM Core Principle
                                                                                                      As discussed in the NPRM, most of the
                                              of the Code of Federal Regulations,’’                                                                          2. Paragraph (B)—Capacity of Contract Market—of
                                                                                                      amendments are purely ministerial—for                  Core Principle 2 specifically requires that the board
                                              except for certain exempt provisions.3
                                                                                                      instance, some of the proposed changes                 of trade shall have the capacity to detect,
                                              Part 9 applies to DCMs by defining                                                                             investigate, and apply appropriate sanctions to any
                                                                                                      updated definitions in Commission
                                              ‘‘exchange’’ in Commission regulation                                                                          person that violates any rule of the contract market.
                                                                                                      regulation 9.2 to conform them to the
                                              9.2(c) for purposes of the rules as ‘‘any                                                                      Section 8c(b) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 12c(b), provides
                                                                                                      Commodity Exchange Act (‘‘CEA’’ or                     that the Commission may, in its discretion and in
                                              board of trade which has been
                                                                                                      ‘‘Act’’) as amended by the Dodd-Frank                  accordance with such standards and procedures as
                                              designated as a contract market.’’ 4                                                                           it deems appropriate, review any decision by an
                                                 Additionally, in the DCM Final Rules,                Act as well as other sections of the
                                                                                                                                                             exchange whereby a person is suspended, expelled,
                                              the Commission adopted regulations in                   Commission’s regulations.11                            disciplined, or denied access to the exchange. In
                                                                                                         The Commission proposed to amend                    addition, section 8c(b) of the CEA provides that the
                                              Subpart N—Disciplinary Procedures of
                                                                                                      the definitions of four terms in                       Commission may, in its discretion and upon
                                              part 38 to amend the disciplinary
                                                                                                      regulation 9.2. First, the Commission                  application of any person who is adversely affected
                                              procedures applicable to DCMs.5                                                                                by any other exchange action, review such action.
                                                                                                      proposed to amend the definition of
                                              Several of the regulations adopted in                                                                             15 Id. The Commission notes that regulation 37.2
                                                                                                      ‘‘disciplinary action’’ by removing the                requires, among other things, that a SEF shall
                                              subpart N of part 38 are similar to the
                                                                                                      reference to ‘‘member of an exchange’’                 comply with the part 9 regulations. 17 CFR 37.2.
                                              text of the disciplinary procedures
                                                                                                      and inserting ‘‘person’’ in its place.12               Additionally, footnote 40 of the SEF Final Rules
                                              found in former part 8—exchange                                                                                states ‘‘the term ‘exchange’ used in part 9 of the
                                                                                                      The Commission explained in the
                                              procedures for disciplinary, summary,                                                                          Commission’s regulations should be interpreted to
                                                                                                      NPRM that it is necessary to expand the
                                              and membership denial actions.6 The                                                                            include a SEF for purposes of applying the
                                                                                                      ‘‘disciplinary action’’ definition to                  requirements of part 9 to a SEF.’’ 78 FR 33476,
                                              Commission removed part 8 from the
                                                                                                      account for instances where an                         33479 (June 4, 2013).
                                              regulations in order to avoid any                                                                                 16 Section 1a(34) of the CEA provides that the
                                                                                                      exchange imposes sanctions against a
                                              confusion from having two sets of                                                                              term ‘‘member’’ means, among other things, an
                                                                                                      person that is not a member of the
                                              disciplinary procedures for DCMs.7 As a                                                                        individual, association, partnership, corporation, or
                                                                                                      exchange.13 The proposed language to                   trust having trading privileges on the registered
                                                1 43  FR 59343 (Dec. 20, 1978).
                                                                                                      include ‘‘person’’ in the ‘‘disciplinary               entity. See also 17 CFR 1.3(q). By amending the
                                                2 Core
                                                                                                                                                             definition of ‘‘member of an exchange’’ to include
                                                        Principles and Other Requirements for
                                                                                                      removed part 8 to avoid any confusion resulting        all persons with trading privileges, the Commission
                                              Designated Contract Markets, 77 FR 36612 (June 19,
                                                                                                      from the regulations containing two sets of            is clarifying that the appellate process and
                                              2012).
                                                3 Id. at 36697; 17 CFR 38.2. Part 9 is not included   exchange disciplinary procedures as part of the        Commission review, as defined in part 9, applies to
                                                                                                      Adaptation of Regulations to Incorporate Swaps         all persons with trading privileges.
                                              in the list of exempt provisions.                                                                                 17 Specifically, the proposed definition of
                                                4 17 CFR 9.2(c).                                      Rulemaking. 17 CFR 38.2; and removal of part 8 at
                                                                                                      77 FR 66304 (Nov. 2, 2012).                            ‘‘summary action’’ means a disciplinary action
                                                5 17 CFR 38.700 through 38.712.
                                                                                                         8 Core Principles and Other Requirements for        resulting in the imposition of a penalty on a person
                                                6 43 FR 41950 (Sept. 19, 1978); 17 CFR 38.700
                                                                                                      Swap Execution Facilities, 78 FR 33476 (June 4,        for violation of rules of the exchange permitted
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                                              through 38.712. For example, part 8 contained                                                                  under the provisions of part 37, appendix B, Core
                                                                                                      2013).
                                              regulations 8.05 (Enforcement staff); 8.08                 9 See id. 33479; 17 CFR 37.2.                       Principle 2, section (a)(10)(vi) or part 38, appendix
                                              (Disciplinary committee); and 8.20 (Final decision).                                                           B, Core Principle 13, section (a)(4) (penalty for
                                                                                                         10 82 FR 7738 (Jan. 23, 2017).
                                              Subpart N of part 38 has corresponding provisions:                                                             impeding progress of hearing); part 37, appendix B,
                                                                                                         11 Id. at 7740.
                                              38.701 (Enforcement staff); 38.702 (Disciplinary                                                               Core Principle 2, section (a)(14) or part 38,
                                              panels); and 38.709 (Final decisions).                     12 The Commission also proposed to amend the
                                                                                                                                                             appendix B, Core Principle 13, section (a)(7)
                                                7 Although Commission regulation 38.2 of the          disciplinary action definition by removing the         (emergency disciplinary actions); part 37, appendix
                                              DCM Final Rules specifies that DCMs are not             reference to regulation 8.03(i).                       B, Core Principle 2, section (a)(13) (summary fines
                                              required to comply with part 8, the Commission             13 82 FR 7741 (Jan. 23, 2017).                                                                  Continued




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                                              1540                 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                                 The Commission also proposed to                      to amend regulation 9.11(b)(3)(ii) by                   to modernize regulation 9.13 by
                                              amend regulation 9.11(a) to remove the                  codifying the clarification contained in                requiring the notice to be posted on an
                                              requirement that an exchange provide                    the Part 9 Advisory that an exchange                    exchange’s website to which its
                                              written notice to the Commission of a                   indicate in its notice of disciplinary or               members, market participants, and the
                                              final disciplinary action or access denial              access denial actions whether the                       public regularly have access.24 The
                                              action and replace it with a requirement                violation underlying the notice resulted                Commission also proposed to amend
                                              to provide notice to the National                       in financial harm to any customers.22                   regulation 9.13 by requiring the notice
                                              Futures Association (‘‘NFA’’). As                          The Commission also proposed to                      to be maintained and readily available
                                              explained in the NPRM, the                              amend regulation 9.11(c) by deleting                    on an exchange’s website.25 As a result,
                                              Commission delegated authority to the                   instructions for filing notice with the                 the existing requirement to maintain
                                              NFA in 1999 to receive and process                      Commission and replacing them with                      and make available for public
                                              exchange disciplinary and access denial                 instructions for filing notice with the                 inspection a record of the information
                                              information (‘‘Part 9 Delegation’’).18                  NFA given the proposed changes to                       contained in the disciplinary or access
                                              Consequently, the NFA currently serves                  regulation 9.11(a) discussed above. The                 denial notice would be eliminated.
                                              as the official custodian of records for                NPRM provided that filing of the notice                    The Commission also noted in the
                                              exchange disciplinary filings. The                      with the NFA is accomplished when an                    NPRM that it anticipates that upon the
                                              Commission noted in the NPRM that it                    authorized exchange employee verifies                   effective date of the final part 9 rules, it
                                              intends to amend the Part 9 Delegation                  the accuracy of the information entered                 will include links on its SmartCheck
                                              order, consistent with the requirement                  into BASIC.                                             website to each exchange’s website for
                                              that exchanges provide exchange                            The Commission proposed to amend                     posting notice of disciplinary action or
                                              disciplinary and access denial                          regulation 9.11(d), which sets forth the                access denial action.26
                                              information to the NFA.19 In 1999,                      effect of delivery and filing by mail, by
                                                                                                      deleting instructions related to filing                 B. Amendment to Regulation 3.31:
                                              concurrent with the Part 9 Delegation,                                                                          Deficiencies, Inaccuracies, and Changes
                                              the Commission also published an                        notices with the Commission by mail
                                                                                                      since proposed regulation 9.11(c) calls                 To Be Reported
                                              advisory permitting exchanges to file
                                              § 9.11 notices with the Commission or                   for notice filings to be made to the NFA                  Pursuant to Commission regulation
                                              the NFA (‘‘Part 9 Advisory’’).20 The                    via BASIC instead of with the                           3.31, an applicant or registrant as a
                                              Commission proposed to codify the Part                  Commission by mail.                                     futures commission merchant (‘‘FCM’’),
                                              9 Advisory and formally replace the                        Pursuant to Commission regulation                    retail foreign exchange dealer (‘‘RFED’’),
                                              regulation 9.11 requirement that written                9.12(b), an exchange that determines                    swap dealer (‘‘SD’’), major swap
                                              notice be provided to the Commission                    that a disciplinary action will become                  participant (‘‘MSP’’), commodity trading
                                              by amending § 9.11 to require that                      effective prior to the expiration of 15                 advisor (‘‘CTA’’), commodity pool
                                              notice be provided to the NFA via the                   days after written notice to the person                 operator (‘‘CPO’’), introducing broker
                                              NFA’s BASIC system and eliminate the                    that is the subject of such action must
                                              option of filing the notice with the                    provide notification in writing either                     24 The Commission noted in the NPRM that many

                                                                                                      personally or by telegram or other                      DCMs have already adopted more modern methods
                                              Commission.                                                                                                     to publicize notices of disciplinary action. 82 FR
                                                 The Commission proposed an                           means of written telecommunication.                     7743 (Jan. 23, 2017). For example, the CME Group
                                              amendment to regulation 9.11(b)(3)(ii)                  The exchange also must immediately                      DCMs (Chicago Board of Trade (‘‘CBOT’’), Chicago
                                              by adding the type of product (as                       notify the Commission by telegram or                    Mercantile Exchange (‘‘CME’’), Commodity
                                              applicable) involved in the adverse                     other means of written                                  Exchange, Inc., (‘‘COMEX’’), and New York
                                                                                                                                                              Mercantile Exchange, Inc. (‘‘NYMEX’’)) and ICE
                                              action as an additional element required                telecommunication. The Commission                       Futures U.S. notify subscribers of exchange
                                              to be included in the contents of the                   proposed to modernize regulation                        disciplinary postings via email. The Commission
                                              notice. The Commission stated in the                    9.12(b) by replacing references to                      also noted that the amendment generally tracks the
                                              NPRM that requiring exchanges to                        ‘‘telegram or other means of written                    Securities and Exchange Commission’s (‘‘SEC’’)
                                                                                                                                                              standards for Release of Disciplinary Complaints,
                                              provide this information in the § 9.11                  telecommunication’’ with the term                       Decisions and Other Information in Financial
                                              notice will provide the Commission,                     ‘‘email’’ and provide a Commission                      Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (‘‘FINRA’’) Rule
                                              market participants, the public, and                    email address for Commission                            8313, in which FINRA, with SEC approval, has
                                              other exchanges with greater                            notification.                                           established its standard for releasing to the public
                                                                                                                                                              a copy of FINRA issued disciplinary complaints,
                                              transparency concerning where market                       Commission regulation 9.13 provides                  decisions, and other disciplinary information. See
                                              abuses originate and whether the abuses                 that whenever an exchange suspends,                     FINRA Rule 8313 ‘‘Release of Disciplinary
                                              are concentrated among certain product                  expels or otherwise disciplines, or                     Complaints, Decisions and Other Information,’’
                                              types.21 The Commission also proposed                   denies any person access to the                         available at http://finra.complinet.com/en/display/
                                                                                                                                                              display_main.html?rbid=2403&element_id=3892.
                                                                                                      exchange, it must make its findings                     See also SEC Release No. 34–69825; File No. SR–
                                              for violations of rules regarding timely submission     public by disclosing at least the                       FINRA–2013–018 (June 21, 2013).
                                              of records); or part 38, appendix B, Core Principle     information contained in the                               25 Some DCMs currently maintain records of
                                              13, section (a)(6) (summary fines for violations of
                                              rules regarding timely submission of records,
                                                                                                      Commission regulation 9.11(b) notice.                   disciplinary action on their websites. For example,
                                                                                                      An exchange also must make such                         CBOE Futures Exchange, LLC maintains a
                                              decorum, or other similar activities).                                                                          disciplinary decision database on its website that
                                                 18 82 FR 7741 (Jan. 23, 2017). The NFA created       findings public as soon as the                          allows the public to review disciplinary decisions
                                              the Background Affiliation Status Information           disciplinary action or access denial                    dating back to 2012. The Commission notes that in
                                              Center (‘‘BASIC’’) system through which the public      action becomes effective by posting a                   the securities industry, the New York Stock
                                              can access information pertaining to the types of                                                               Exchange maintains disciplinary notices as far back
                                              violations committed, penalties imposed, the            notice in a conspicuous place on its
                                                                                                                                                              as 1972.
                                              effective date of the action, and, in some cases, the   premises. As noted in the NPRM,
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                                                                                                                                                                 26 82 FR 7743 (Jan. 23, 2017). In November 2014,
                                              text from the exchange’s decision.                      posting a notice of disciplinary action                 the CFTC launched the SmartCheck website. It
                                                 19 Id.
                                                                                                      on the premises of an exchange does                     connects investors to tools to check the registration,
                                                 20 64 FR 39915 (July 23, 1999) (‘‘Part 9
                                                                                                      little to publicize the action.23                       license, and disciplinary history of certain financial
                                              Advisory’’).                                                                                                    professionals. This collection of tools allows the
                                                 21 For example, a product trading on a DCM might
                                                                                                      Accordingly, the Commission proposed                    responsible investor to confirm the credentials of
                                              be specified as a July 2016 Eurodollar future; while                                                            investment professionals, uncover any past
                                                                                                        22 64   FR 39917 (July 23, 1999).
                                              a product trading on a SEF may be a CDX North                                                                   disciplinary history, and stay ahead of scam artists
                                              American High Yield Series 26 5 year.                     23 82   FR 7743 (Jan. 23, 2017).                      with news and alerts.



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                                                                   Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                         1541

                                              (‘‘IB’’), or floor trader (‘‘FT’’) that is a            MGEX agreed with the Commission’s                      email as a permitted method of
                                              non-natural person or leverage                          general approach to modernize                          delivering notice of the disciplinary or
                                              transaction merchant (‘‘LTM’’) must                     permitted methods of communication.                    access denial action to the person
                                              promptly correct any deficiency or                      For example, MGEX cited the language                   subject to the action. Accordingly, the
                                              inaccuracy in Form 7–R or Form 8–R                      in proposed regulation 9.11(c) that                    Commission is modifying 9.11(c) to
                                              which has rendered the information                      would require an exchange only to                      allow delivery of the notice to the
                                              contained therein non-current or                        verify that information entered into                   person’s last known email address. The
                                              inaccurate. These corrections must be                   NFA’s BASIC system instead of mailing                  Commission is also amending 9.11(d) to
                                              made in accordance with the                             a notice to the Commission as a positive               provide that delivery of the disciplinary
                                              instructions of each form to create a                   change. MGEX also favorably cited                      notice will be complete upon
                                              Form 3–R record of such change.                         proposed regulation 9.12(b) that would                 transmission of the email.
                                                 In 1999, concurrent with the Part 9                  permit an exchange to email notice of an                  The Commission also agrees with
                                              Delegation and Part 9 Advisory, the                     early effective date of disciplinary                   MGEX that an exchange should have
                                              Commission issued an advisory                           action instead of mailing it or by                     flexibility over the format, style, and
                                              pertaining to part 3 of the Commission’s                telegram. MGEX noted these changes                     location of the notice on its website
                                              regulations (‘‘Part 3 Advisory’’). The                  reduce burdens and suggested that the                  including any indexing or search
                                              Part 3 Advisory relieves registrants and                Commission make similar changes to                     functionality. The Commission believes
                                              applicants for registrant status from                   proposed regulations 9.11(c) and (d) to                that adopting the rule as proposed
                                              filing the Form 3–R if the information to               allow an exchange to email a                           provides sufficient flexibility for
                                              be reported is solely the result of an                  disciplinary or access denial notice to                exchanges in this regard, although the
                                              exchange disciplinary or access denial                  the person subject to the action.                      Commission notes that an exchange
                                              action.27 In 2012, the Commission                          MGEX agreed that an exchange                        must ensure that access to all
                                              eliminated the requirement that                         should publish notices of certain                      disciplinary notices remain readily
                                              registrants and individuals use Form 3–                 disciplinary actions on its website.                   accessible regardless of whether the
                                              R to update their existing Form 7–R or                  However, MGEX requested that an                        exchange decides to archive notices
                                              8–R and provided that an update to a                    exchange have flexibility regarding how                after a reasonable period of time.
                                              registrant’s online Form 7–R or 8–R                     it fulfills this obligation. In particular,               In response to MGEX’s comment
                                              would automatically create a record of                  MGEX requested that regulation 9.13 be                 requesting that exchanges should be
                                              changes equivalent to a completed Form                  amended to ensure that an exchange has                 given discretion in certain situations to
                                              3–R.28 The Commission proposed to                       flexibility over the format, style, and                remove a disciplinary notice from its
                                              codify the Part 3 Advisory by amending                  location of the notice on its website, as              website, the Commission acknowledges
                                              regulation 3.31(a)(1) with language that                well as any ancillary website relating to              MGEX’s concern that the regulatory
                                              relieves applicants or registrants from                 the publication of such notices. MGEX                  environment or exchange rules could
                                              the obligation to update their Form 7–                  stated that an exchange should be able                 change over time and having notices
                                              R or 8–R if the information to be                       to archive notices on its website after a              that are predicated on antiquated rules
                                              reported is solely the result of an                     reasonable period of time. MGEX noted                  may confuse members, market
                                              exchange disciplinary or access denial                  that archived notices should be                        participants, or the public. However, the
                                              action.                                                 accessible, but an exchange should have                Commission believes that all
                                                                                                      discretion to maintain them separately                 disciplinary and access denial notices
                                              III. Comments on the Proposal                           on its website. In addition, MGEX                      must be maintained on the exchange’s
                                                 The comment period for the Proposal                  indicated that there may be situations                 website without the possibility of
                                              ended on March 24, 2017. The                            where removing a notice from its                       removal. Access to information
                                              Commission received one comment                         website would be appropriate and                       regarding all exchange disciplinary and
                                              letter.29 The Minneapolis Grain                         exchanges should be provided with this                 access denial actions provides valuable
                                              Exchange (‘‘MGEX’’) generally                           discretion. In support of its position,                guidance and information to exchange
                                              supported the Proposal while offering                   MGEX stated that the regulatory                        members, market participants, and the
                                              some suggestions for certain provisions.                environment or exchange rules could                    public regardless of whether the
                                                                                                      change over time such that certain                     regulatory environment or an exchange
                                                 27 The Part 3 Advisory also explains that the
                                                                                                      notices no longer provide educational or               rule has changed. For example, the
                                              Commission has: (1) Permitted exchanges (via the        informative value. MGEX commented
                                              Part 9 Advisory) to file either electronic or written                                                          notices allow customers to consider
                                              § 9.11 notices with the NFA instead of the              that having notices that are predicated                member firms’ and traders’ disciplinary
                                              Commission and (2) delegated to the NFA (via the        on antiquated rules may actually                       histories when considering whether to
                                              Part 9 Delegation) the duty to receive and process      confuse members, market participants,                  engage in business with them. This
                                              exchange disciplinary and access denial action          or the public. Finally, MGEX requested
                                              information filed by the exchanges in accordance                                                               includes conduct by firms and traders
                                              with Commission regulation 9.11. The Commission         guidance that regulation 9.13 will be                  that violated an exchange rule at the
                                              further explained that, as a result of the Part 9       limited to disciplinary actions that were              time the rule was in effect. The final
                                              Advisory and Part 9 Delegation, the NFA possesses       finalized after the effective date of any              rule also enables customers to consider
                                              the exchange disciplinary and access denial action      final rulemaking.
                                              information that registrants and applicants for                                                                an exchange’s propensity to sanction
                                              registrant status would otherwise be required to        IV. Final Rules and Notice and Order                   firms and traders for rule violations
                                              include in Form 3–R. Therefore, to avoid                                                                       when considering whether to trade on
                                              duplicative reporting, the Part 3 Advisory advises      A. Final Rules                                         the exchange. In the limited
                                              all individuals and entities subject to Commission
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                                              regulation 3.31 that they are relieved from               The Commission, in consideration of                  circumstances where an exchange
                                              Commission regulation 3.31 reporting obligations        the MGEX comment, is adopting the                      believes that a disciplinary notice may
                                              resulting from an exchange disciplinary or access       part 9 rules as proposed subject to the                confuse its members, market
                                              denial action and reported by an exchange pursuant
                                              to a § 9.11 notice. 64 FR 39912 (July 23, 1999).
                                                                                                      minor modifications described below.                   participants, or the public as a result of
                                                 28 77 FR 51898 (Aug. 28, 2012).                      The Commission agrees with MGEX’s                      a regulatory environment or exchange
                                                 29 See https://comments.cftc.gov/Public              suggestion to amend regulations 9.11(c)                rule change, an exchange could address
                                              Comments/CommentList.aspx?id=1776.                      and (d) to allow an exchange to use                    this concern by posting an attachment to


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                                              1542                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                              the disciplinary notice that explains the               Commission is updating regulation 3.31                 impact of those rules on small entities.33
                                              nature of any such change.                              to reflect the retirement of Form 3–R.                 The Commission did not receive any
                                                 The Commission agrees with MGEX                      For these same reasons, the Commission                 comments with respect to the RFA. The
                                              that the rulemaking should not be                       is making a similar technical change to                part 9 rules adopted herein will affect
                                              applied retroactively to final exchange                 regulation 3.11. As reflected in the                   all SEFs and DCMs. The Commission
                                              disciplinary actions. Therefore,                        amended text of the rule, the                          previously established certain
                                              exchanges only will be required to                      Commission is deleting the reference to                definitions of ‘‘small entities’’ to be used
                                              publish disciplinary actions that are                   Form 3–R from subsection (b) of                        by the Commission in evaluating the
                                              finalized after the effective date of the               regulation 3.11. The Commission notes                  impact of its regulations on small
                                              final rules.                                            that these changes to regulations 3.11                 entities in accordance with the RFA.34
                                                 As discussed above, the Commission                   and 3.31 are purely technical and do not               The Commission previously determined
                                              proposed to amend regulation 9.2(f) to                  affect the obligations of the individuals              that DCMs and SEFs are not small
                                              expand the definition of ‘‘member of an                 and entities subject to these rules.                   entities for purposes of the RFA.35
                                              exchange’’ to include any person who                                                                              The part 3 rules adopted herein will
                                              has trading privileges on an exchange.                  C. Notice and Order                                    affect certain applicant or registrant
                                              The Commission explained that this                         In a separate document published                    FCMs, RFEDs, SDs, MSPs, CTAs, CPOs,
                                              change is necessary to conform the part                 elsewhere in this issue of the Federal                 IBs, FTs who are non-natural persons,
                                              9 definition of ‘‘member’’ to the                       Register, the Commission issued an                     and LTMs who will no longer have to
                                              meaning set forth in section 1a(34) of                  updated Notice and Order to replace the                file a Form 7–R or 8–R if the
                                              the CEA and in 1.3(q) of the                            Part 9 Delegation from 1999 regarding                  information to be reported is solely the
                                              Commission’s regulations. The                           the specific duties delegated by the                   result of an exchange disciplinary or
                                              Commission is adopting the amendment                    Commission to the NFA for receiving                    access denial action. The Commission
                                              to regulation 9.2(f) as proposed. The                   and processing exchange disciplinary                   previously determined that FCMs,
                                              Commission notes that 9.2(f)(1)                         and access denial information. Among                   RFEDs, SDs, MSPs, CPOs, and LTMs are
                                              preserves the prior definition of                       other things, the Notice and Order is                  not small entities for purposes of the
                                              ‘‘member of an exchange,’’ while the                    being updated to account for the                       RFA.36 Therefore, the requirements of
                                              inclusion of ‘‘any person who has                       amendment to regulation 9.11(a) that                   the RFA do not apply to those entities.
                                              trading privileges on an exchange’’                     will require exchanges to file                         With respect to CTAs, FTs, and IBs, the
                                              under 9.2(f)(2) conforms the ‘‘member of                disciplinary and access denial actions                 Commission has found it appropriate to
                                              an exchange’’ definition with the                       with the NFA. As discussed above, prior                consider whether such registrants
                                              meaning set forth in section 1a(34)(B) of               to this amendment, exchanges were                      should be deemed small entities for
                                              the CEA and regulation 1.3(q)(1)(ii).                   only encouraged to file the notifications              purposes of the RFA on a case-by-case
                                                 The Commission is also adopting the                  with the NFA, but not required. In                     basis, in the context of the particular
                                              amendment to regulation 3.31(a)(1) as                   addition, the updated Notice and Order                 Commission regulation at issue.37 As
                                              proposed. Therefore, the final rule                     includes SEFs now filing the required                  certain of these registrants may be small
                                              relieves applicants and registrants from                notices with the NFA as SEFs did not                   entities for purposes of the RFA, the
                                              the obligation to update their Form 7–                  exist when the Commission issued the                   Commission has considered whether the
                                              R or 8–R if the information to be                       Part 9 Delegation and Advisory in 1999.                final rules will have a significant impact
                                              reported is solely the result of an                        Consistent with the Part 9 Delegation,              on these registrants.
                                              exchange disciplinary or access denial                  the updated Notice and Order delegates                    The amendment to Commission
                                              action.                                                 to the NFA the authority to perform the                regulation 3.31 is not substantive in
                                                                                                      following functions: (1) To process                    nature. In 1999, the Commission
                                              B. Deletion of References to Commission                 exchange disciplinary information filed                published the Part 3 Advisory which
                                              Form 3–R                                                by an exchange or the Commission in                    relieved all applicants and registrants
                                                 The Commission is making an                          the BASIC system; (2) to provide the                   from filing a Form 3–R if the
                                              additional technical change to                          Commission with access to a                            information to be reported is solely the
                                              regulation 3.31. As reflected in the                    Management Report summarizing all                      result of an exchange disciplinary or
                                              amended text of the rule, the                           recent exchange disciplinary
                                              Commission is eliminating the                           information and to provide the                           33 5   U.S.C. 601 et seq.
                                              references to Form 3–R from subsections                 Commission with the capability to                        34 See   47 FR 18618 through 18621 (Apr. 30,
                                              (a)(1), (a)(3), (b), and (c)(1) of regulation           generate standardized reports on the                   1982).
                                              3.31 by deleting from these subsections                 BASIC system; (3) to assist the                           35 See 47 FR 18618, 18619 (Apr. 30, 1982)

                                                                                                      Commission in enforcing exchange                       (DCMs); 78 FR 33548 (June 4, 2013) (SEFs).
                                              the phrase ‘‘to create a Form 3–R record                                                                          36 See Policy Statement and Establishment of
                                              of change.’’ 30 The Commission no                       compliance with regulation 9.11 filing
                                                                                                                                                             Definitions of ‘‘Small Entities’’ for Purposes of the
                                              longer requires market participants to                  requirements; and (4) to serve as the                  Regulatory Flexibility Act, 47 FR 18618 (Apr. 30,
                                              use the Form 3–R.31 Additionally, by                    official custodian of a database                       1982) (FCMs and CPOs); Leverage Transactions, 54
                                              separate Notice, the Commission                         containing records of all exchange                     FR 41068 (Oct. 5, 1989) (LTMs); Regulation of Off-
                                                                                                      disciplinary and access denial actions                 Exchange Retail Foreign Exchange Transactions and
                                              formally proposed to cancel the Form 3–                                                                        Intermediaries, 75 FR 55410, 55416 (Sept. 10, 2010)
                                              R and transfer the administrative                       filed with the NFA for inclusion in the                (RFEDs); and Registration of Swap Dealers and
                                              burdens associated with that form to                    BASIC system.                                          Major Swap Participants, 77 FR 2613, 2620 (Jan. 19,
                                                                                                                                                             2012) (SDs and MSPs).
                                              Forms 7–R and 8–R.32 Accordingly, the                   V. Related Matters                                        37 See 47 FR 18620 (Apr. 30, 1982) (CTAs);
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                                                                                                      A. Regulatory Flexibility Act                          Registration of Floor Traders; Mandatory Ethics
                                                30 The phrase being deleted from subsection (a)(1)
                                                                                                                                                             Training for Registrants; Suspension of Registrants
                                              of regulation 3.31 is ‘‘to create a Form 3–R record        The Regulatory Flexibility Act                      Charged With Felonies, 58 FR 19575, 19588 (Apr.
                                              of such change.’’                                                                                              15, 1993) (FTs); and Introducing Brokers and
                                                31 Registration of Intermediaries, 77 FR 51898
                                                                                                      (‘‘RFA’’) requires federal agencies, in
                                                                                                                                                             Associated Persons of Introducing Brokers,
                                              (Aug. 28, 2012).                                        promulgating rules, to consider the                    Commodity Trading Advisors and Commodity Pool
                                                32 Agency Information Collection Activities:                                                                 Operators; Registration and Other Regulatory
                                              Proposed Collection Revision, Comment Request:          Cancellation of Form 3–R, 82 FR 19663, 19664 (Apr.     Requirements, 48 FR 35248, 35276 (Aug. 3, 1983)
                                              Adoption of Revised Registration Form 8–R and           28, 2017).                                             (IBs).



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                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                            1543

                                              access denial action.38 Beyond                          collection requirements would result                   part 9. As explained in the NPRM, and
                                              conforming the regulation to an                         from the Proposal.41 The Commission                    as adopted, the rules are primarily
                                              established agency policy provided for                  did not receive any such comments.                     technical in nature that clarify the
                                              in the Part 3 Advisory, the conforming                  Accordingly, the Commission believes                   obligations under the current rules and
                                              amendments to regulation 3.31 will not                  the final rules will not impact the                    generally do not impose any new costs
                                              affect the current processes or impose                  current burden estimates for collections               on DCMs, SEFs, or market
                                              any new costs on small entities. The                    3038–0052 and 3038–0074. The                           participants.44 Regulation 9.11(b)(3)(ii)
                                              final rule codifies the filing relief set               Commission will nevertheless, by                       will require the exchanges to specify in
                                              forth in the Part 3 Advisory and will not               separate action, publish in the Federal                the disciplinary notices the product
                                              impose any new regulatory obligations                   Register a notice and request for                      involved in the disciplinary action and
                                              on any registrant, including CTAs, FTs,                 comment on the additional elements to                  whether the rule violation resulted in
                                              and IBs.                                                be included as part of exchange notices,               financial harm to any customers. The
                                                 The Commission does not, therefore,                  and submit to OMB an information                       Commission acknowledges that these
                                              expect small entities to incur any                      collection request to amend the relevant               additional elements in the disciplinary
                                              additional costs as a result of the final               information collection, in accordance                  notices may result in additional costs,
                                              rules. Consequently, the Commission                     with 44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A) and 5 CFR                 but any such costs would be de
                                              finds that no significant economic                      1320.8(d). As noted previously, by                     minimis. Accordingly, the Commission
                                              impact on small entities will result from               separate Notice published in the                       addresses below the costs associated
                                              the final rules.                                        Federal Register, the Commission                       with Commission regulation 9.13
                                                 Accordingly, the Chairman, on behalf                 provided notice that the Form 3–R was                  requirement for DCMs and SEFs to
                                              of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C.                  being cancelled, and that the PRA                      publish and maintain disciplinary
                                              605(b), certifies that the final rules will             burdens associated with Form 3–R                       notices on their respective websites.
                                              not have a significant economic impact                  under collections 3038–0023 and 3038–                     In the Proposal, the Commission
                                              on a substantial number of small                        0072 were being reassigned to Forms 7–                 sought comment concerning all aspects
                                              entities.                                               R and 8–R.42                                           of the costs and benefits. The
                                                                                                                                                             Commission did not receive any
                                              B. Paperwork Reduction Act                              C. Cost-Benefit Considerations                         comments that specifically addressed
                                                 The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                  1. Introduction                                        the Cost-Benefit Considerations section
                                              (‘‘PRA’’) imposes certain requirements                                                                         of the Proposal. However, MGEX
                                                                                                         Section 15(a) of the CEA requires the
                                              on Federal agencies, including the                                                                             commented that the proposed
                                                                                                      Commission to consider the costs and
                                              Commission, in connection with their                                                                           amendment to regulation 9.11(c) that
                                                                                                      benefits of its actions before
                                              conducting or sponsoring any collection                                                                        would allow an exchange to only have
                                                                                                      promulgating a regulation under the
                                              of information, as defined by the PRA.39                                                                       to verify that information has been
                                                                                                      CEA or issuing certain orders.43 Section
                                              An agency may not conduct or sponsor,                                                                          entered into NFA BASIC instead of
                                                                                                      15(a) further specifies that the costs and
                                              and a person is not required to respond                                                                        mailing a notice to the Commission, and
                                                                                                      benefits shall be evaluated in light of
                                              to, a collection of information unless it               five broad areas of market and public                  the amendment to 9.12(b) that would
                                              displays a currently valid control                      concern: (1) Protection of market                      permit an exchange to satisfy its
                                              number issued by the Office of                          participants and the public; (2)                       obligations to deliver notice of the
                                              Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’). The                    efficiency, competitiveness, and                       disciplinary or access denial action by
                                              final rules contain provisions that                     financial integrity of the markets; (3)                email reduces the burden to exchanges,
                                              qualify as collections of information, for              price discovery; (4) sound risk                        albeit in nominal ways. As discussed
                                              which the Commission has already                        management practices; and (5) other                    above, the Commission is amending
                                              sought and obtained control numbers                     public interest considerations. The                    regulations 9.11(c) and (d) to allow
                                              from the OMB. The titles for these                      Commission considers the costs and                     exchanges to satisfy their delivery
                                              collections of information are ‘‘Part 38—               benefits resulting from its discretionary              obligations of the disciplinary or access
                                              Core Principles and Other Requirements                  determinations with respect to the                     denial action to the person subject to the
                                              for Designated Contract Markets’’ (OMB                                                                         action by email.
                                                                                                      section 15(a) factors.
                                              Control Number 3038–0052) and ‘‘Part                                                                              Finally, in light of NFA’s role and
                                                                                                         The Commission considers the costs
                                              37—Core Principles and Other                                                                                   experience in performing registration
                                                                                                      and benefits associated with the final
                                              Requirements for Swap Execution                                                                                functions on behalf of the Commission
                                                                                                      rules, including updating the pre-
                                              Facilities’’ (OMB Control Number 3038–                                                                         and as the custodian of related records
                                                                                                      existing regulatory framework to
                                              0074).                                                                                                         (including exchange disciplinary
                                                                                                      incorporate SEFs, removing references
                                                 As explained in the NPRM, the                                                                               filings), the Commission believes that it
                                                                                                      to part 8 of the Commission’s
                                              Commission did not seek to amend                                                                               is appropriate to remove the
                                                                                                      regulations, and revising the reporting
                                              information collections 3038–0052 or                                                                           requirement that an exchange provide
                                                                                                      and notice requirements for DCMs and
                                              3038–0074 because the Commission                                                                               written notice to the Commission of a
                                                                                                      SEFs. The Commission compares the
                                              believes that the rule modifications                                                                           final disciplinary action or access denial
                                                                                                      costs and benefits of this rulemaking                  action and replace it with a requirement
                                              proposed would not impose any new                       against a baseline of the status quo, the
                                              information collection requirements that                                                                       to provide notice to the NFA. NFA
                                                                                                      current requirements under part 3 and                  performs registration processing
                                              require approval from OMB under the
                                              PRA.40 The Commission invited public                      41 For collection 3038–0052, see OMB Control No.
                                                                                                                                                             functions with respect to applicants and
                                              comment on the accuracy of its                          3038–0052, available at http://www.reginfo.gov/        registrants and an individual’s or firm’s
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                                              determination that no additional                        public/do/PRAOMBHistory?ombControlNumber=              disciplinary history is a factor that must
                                              recordkeeping or information collection                 3038-0052. For collection 3038–0074, see OMB           be considered in any fitness
                                                                                                      Control No. 3038–0074, available at http://            determination. Delegating to the NFA
                                              requirements or changes to existing                     www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAOMB
                                                                                                      History?ombControlNumber=                              the responsibility for processing such
                                                38 64 FR 39912 (July 23, 1999).                       3038-0074.                                             filings and generating reports with the
                                                39 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.                               42 82 FR 19663 (Apr. 28, 2017).
                                                40 82 FR 7745–46 (Jan. 23, 2017).                       43 7 U.S.C. 19(a).                                     44 82   FR 7746 (Jan. 23, 2017).



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                                              1544                 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                              information amassed, should ensure                        The total number of exchange                         member firms’ and traders’ disciplinary
                                              that the NFA has the necessary                          disciplinary and access denial actions                 histories when considering whether to
                                              information to continue to make                         per year for all DCMs and SEFs is                      engage in business with them. In
                                              appropriate registration determinations.                estimated to be 311 (296 actions for                   addition, firms may use such
                                              The Commission also believes this                       DCMs plus 15 actions for SEFs equals                   information to educate their traders and
                                              delegation will enhance efficiency by                   311 total actions per year). The                       associated persons as to compliance
                                              permitting the Commission to carry out                  Commission anticipates each DCM and                    matters, highlighting potential
                                              its statutory responsibilities under the                SEF will spend an additional 15                        violations and related sanctions.
                                              CEA, while also freeing up Commission                   minutes per disciplinary notice to post                Further, any firm or individual facing
                                              resources to be directed to other parts of              on the exchange’s website above the                    allegations of rule violations may access
                                              its regulatory mandate.                                 current requirement of posting the                     existing disciplinary decisions to gain
                                                                                                      notice on the exchange’s premises.                     greater insight on related facts and
                                              2. Commission Regulation 9.13—                          Accordingly, the aggregate new burden                  sanctions. The Commission believes
                                              Publication of Notice                                   of Commission regulation 9.13 is                       that the added deterrence of publishing
                                                 Commission regulation 9.13 requires                  estimated to be 77.75 hours per year for               disciplinary notices on exchange
                                              all DCMs and SEFs to maintain and                       the 15 DCMs and 24 SEFs (15 minutes                    websites and the enhanced investigative
                                              make readily accessible final notices of                multiplied by 311 anticipated actions                  and educational benefits of making such
                                              exchange disciplinary and access denial                 per year equals 77.75 burden hours).                   information public will ultimately
                                              actions on their websites.45 This new                     The Commission expects that a                        decrease the incidents of wrongdoing
                                              requirement replaces the existing                       compliance officer employed by the                     and market abuses which benefits both
                                              requirement in Commission regulation                    exchange will post the disciplinary or                 market participants and the general
                                              9.13 that exchanges publish the notice                  access denial action notices to the                    public.
                                              in a conspicuous place on the                           exchange website. According to recent
                                                                                                                                                             c. Section 15(a) Factors
                                              exchange’s premises.                                    Bureau of Labor Statistics National
                                                                                                      Occupational Employment and Wage                          As noted above, section 15(a) of the
                                              a. Costs                                                Estimates, the mean hourly wage of an                  CEA requires the Commission to
                                                 The Commission continues to believe                  employee under occupation code 13–                     consider the effects of its actions in light
                                              that requiring exchanges to post final                  1041, ‘‘Compliance Officers,’’ that is                 of the following five factors:
                                              disciplinary and access denial notices to               employed by the ‘‘Securities and                          (1) Protection of market participants
                                              their websites will slightly increase the               Commodity Exchanges’’ industry is                      and the public. The Commission
                                              costs for DCMs and SEFs. The                            $46.01. Because DCMs and SEFs can be                   believes that market participants and
                                                                                                      large, specialized entities that may                   the public will benefit from the
                                              Commission notes that the additional
                                                                                                      engage employees with wages above the                  ministerial and conforming
                                              costs incurred by DCMs and SEFs will
                                                                                                      mean, the Commission has                               amendments since they eliminate
                                              be offset in part due to the amendment
                                                                                                      conservatively chosen to use a mean                    obsolete, vestigial provisions and
                                              in Commission regulation 9.13 that
                                                                                                      hourly wage of $50 per hour.47                         references that otherwise could be
                                              removes the requirement of posting
                                                                                                      Accordingly, the burden associated with                construed to give rise to confusing
                                              disciplinary and access denial notices
                                                                                                      posting the disciplinary notices on                    inconsistencies between the
                                              on the premises of the respective DCM
                                                                                                      exchange websites is approximately                     Commission’s regulations and the
                                              or SEF. In order to estimate the
                                                                                                      $3,887.50 per year for all of the 15                   provisions of the CEA. Furthermore, the
                                              additional costs, the Commission
                                                                                                      DCMs and 24 SEFs, ($50 multiplied by                   Commission believes that the
                                              queried the NFA’s BASIC system to
                                                                                                      the anticipated 77.75 burden hours                     amendment to regulation 9.13, which
                                              determine the total number of                                                                                  requires exchanges to publish notice of
                                              disciplinary and access denial actions                  equals $3,887.50 per year).48
                                                                                                                                                             final disciplinary and access denial
                                              filed by DCMs and SEFs in 2016.46                       b. Benefits                                            actions on exchange websites, increases
                                                 Total number of reported disciplinary                                                                       transparency of exchange disciplinary
                                              and access denial actions in BASIC by                      The Commission continues to believe
                                                                                                      that greater access to information                     actions and serves as a deterrence of
                                              all DCMs: 296.                                                                                                 future market abuses. These
                                                                                                      regarding exchange disciplinary and
                                                 Total number of reported disciplinary                                                                       enhancements allow for operational
                                                                                                      access denial actions provides valuable
                                              and access denial actions in BASIC by                                                                          efficiencies in oversight, increased
                                                                                                      guidance and information to exchange
                                              all SEFs: 15.                                                                                                  deterrence from market abuses, and
                                                                                                      members, market participants, and the
                                                                                                      public. Releasing disciplinary                         greater transparency of the exchange
                                                45 17 CFR 9.13.
                                                                                                      information to the public serves to deter              disciplinary process. Therefore, the
                                                46 The  Commission’s cost estimates in the NPRM
                                                                                                      and prevent future misconduct and to                   Commission anticipates that the
                                              were based on the 452 disciplinary and access
                                              denial actions filed by DCMs in 2015. Because SEFs      improve overall compliance standards                   amendment to regulation 9.13 will
                                              did not post any such actions with BASIC in 2015,       in the futures and swaps industry. It                  result in improved protection of market
                                              the cost estimates for SEFs were based on the
                                                                                                      also allows customers to consider                      participants and the public.
                                              disciplinary and access denial actions filed by                                                                   (2) The efficiency, competitiveness,
                                              DCMs in 2015, excluding the four DCMs with the
                                              largest number of reported disciplinary and access         47 Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational         and financial integrity of the markets.
                                              denial actions. The Commission explained that the       Employment and Wages: 13–1041 Compliance               The requirement that exchanges publish
                                              average number of disciplinary and access denial        Officers, (May 2014), available at http://             disciplinary notices and access denial
                                              actions by the other 11 DCMs provide a more             www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes131041.htm.                 actions on their websites is intended to
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                                              appropriate comparison with respect to estimating          48 As noted in the NPRM, the Commission

                                              the number of actions filed by SEFs annually. This      acknowledges that requiring exchanges to post final
                                                                                                                                                             improve the operational efficiency and
                                              average resulted in an estimate of eight disciplinary   notices of disciplinary and access denial actions on   financial integrity of the futures and
                                              and access denial actions filed in BASIC for each       their websites may necessitate additional              swaps markets by enabling the public
                                              SEF annually. The Commission noted that as the          bandwidth. The Commission anticipates that any         and those who access an exchange
                                              SEFs mature, in terms of the number of participants     increased costs due to added bandwidth will be
                                              and volume, the number of disciplinary and access       insignificant in its calculation of the total annual
                                                                                                                                                             website to be made aware of any
                                              denial actions may increase accordingly. 82 FR          burden associated with the final rules. 82 FR 7747     disciplinary and access denial actions
                                              7746 (Jan. 23, 2017).                                   (Jan. 23, 2017).                                       imposed by the exchange. By publishing


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                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                            1545

                                              the notice on the exchange’s website,                      Authority: 5 U.S.C. 552, 552b; 7 U.S.C. 1a,         operator, introducing broker, floor
                                              the Commission believes that the                        2, 6a, 6b, 6b–1, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6k,       trader that is a non-natural person or
                                              efficiency and financial integrity of the               6m, 6n, 6o, 6p, 6s, 8, 9, 9a, 12, 12a, 13b, 13c,       leverage transaction merchant shall, in
                                                                                                      16a, 18, 19, 21, and 23.
                                              markets will be bolstered by the                                                                               accordance with the instructions
                                              deterrent effect achieved by posting the                ■ 2. In § 3.11, revise paragraph (b) to                thereto, promptly correct any deficiency
                                              notice in a publicly accessible medium.                 read as follows:                                       or inaccuracy in Form 7–R or Form 8–
                                                 (3) Price discovery. The Commission                                                                         R that no longer renders accurate and
                                                                                                      § 3.11 Registration of floor brokers and
                                              did not identify any impact on price                                                                           current the information contained
                                                                                                      floor traders.
                                              discovery as a result of the proposed                                                                          therein, with the exception of any
                                              regulations, and did not believe there                  *      *      *     *     *
                                                                                                         (b) Duration of registration. A person              change that requires withdrawal from
                                              would be one, but sought comment as                                                                            registration under § 3.33 or any change
                                              to any potential impact. The                            registered as a floor broker or floor
                                                                                                      trader in accordance with paragraph (a)                resulting from an exchange disciplinary
                                              Commission did not receive any                                                                                 or access denial action. Each such
                                                                                                      of this section, and whose registration
                                              comments on this issue. Accordingly,                                                                           correction shall be prepared and filed in
                                                                                                      has neither been revoked nor
                                              the Commission believes that the final                                                                         accordance with the instructions
                                                                                                      withdrawn, will continue to be so
                                              regulations will not impact price                                                                              thereto.
                                                                                                      registered unless such person’s trading
                                              discovery.                                                                                                     *       *     *    *     *
                                                 (4) Sound risk management practices.                 privileges on all contract markets and
                                                                                                      swap execution facilities have ceased:                    (3) * * *
                                              The Commission did not identify any                                                                               (i) If the new principal is not a natural
                                              impact on sound risk management                         Provided, that if a floor broker or floor
                                                                                                      trader whose trading privileges on all                 person, the registrant shall update such
                                              practices as a result of the proposed                                                                          Form 7–R.
                                                                                                      contract markets and swap execution
                                              regulations, and did not believe there
                                                                                                      facilities have ceased for reasons                     *       *     *    *     *
                                              would be one, but sought comment as
                                                                                                      unrelated to any Commission action or                     (b) Each applicant or registrant as a
                                              to any potential impact. The
                                                                                                      any contract market or swap execution                  floor broker, floor trader or associated
                                              Commission did not receive any
                                                                                                      facility disciplinary proceeding and                   person, and each principal of a futures
                                              comments on this issue. Accordingly,
                                                                                                      whose registration is not revoked,                     commission merchant, retail foreign
                                              the Commission believes that the final
                                                                                                      suspended or withdrawn is granted                      exchange dealer, swap dealer, major
                                              regulations will not impact sound risk
                                                                                                      trading privileges as a floor broker or                swap participant, commodity trading
                                              management practices.
                                                 (5) Other public interest                            floor trader, respectively, by any                     advisor, commodity pool operator,
                                              considerations. The Commission has not                  contract market or swap execution                      introducing broker, floor trader that is a
                                              identified any other public interest                    facility where such person held such                   non-natural person, or leverage
                                              considerations.                                         privileges within the preceding sixty                  transaction merchant must, in
                                                                                                      days, such registration as a floor broker              accordance with the instructions
                                              D. Antitrust Considerations                             or floor trader, respectively, shall be                thereto, promptly correct any deficiency
                                                 Section 15(b) of the CEA requires the                deemed to continue and no new Form                     or inaccuracy in the Form 8–R or
                                              Commission to take into consideration                   7–R, Form 8–R or change to Form 7–R                    supplemental statement thereto.
                                              the public interest to be protected by the              or Form 8–R need be filed solely on the                   (c)(1) After the filing of a Form 8–R
                                              antitrust laws and endeavor to take the                 basis of the resumption of trading                     or updating a Form 8–R by or on behalf
                                              least anticompetitive means of                          privileges. A floor broker or floor trader             of any person for the purpose of
                                              achieving the objectives of the CEA in                  is prohibited from engaging in activities              permitting that person to be an
                                              issuing any order or adopting any                       requiring registration under the Act or                associated person of a futures
                                              Commission rule or regulation. The                      from representing such person to be a                  commission merchant, retail foreign
                                              Commission does not anticipate that the                 registrant under the Act or the                        exchange dealer, commodity trading
                                              amendments adopted herein would                         representative or agent of any registrant              advisor, commodity pool operator,
                                              promote or result in anticompetitive                    during the pendency of any suspension                  introducing broker, or a leverage
                                              consequences or behavior.                               of such registration or of all such trading            transaction merchant, that futures
                                                                                                      privileges. Each contract market and                   commission merchant, retail foreign
                                              List of Subjects                                        swap execution facility that has granted               exchange dealer, commodity trading
                                              17 CFR Part 3                                           trading privileges to a person who is                  advisor, commodity pool operator,
                                                                                                      registered, or has applied for                         introducing broker or leverage
                                                Administrative practice and
                                                                                                      registration, as a floor broker or floor               transaction merchant must, within
                                              procedure, Brokers, Commodity futures,
                                                                                                      trader, must provide notice in                         thirty days after the occurrence of either
                                              Major swap participants, Reporting and
                                                                                                      accordance with § 3.31(d) after such                   of the following, file a notice thereof
                                              recordkeeping requirements, Swap
                                                                                                      person’s trading privileges on such                    with the National Futures Association
                                              dealers.
                                                                                                      contract market or swap execution                      indicating:
                                              17 CFR Part 9                                           facility have ceased.                                     (i) The failure of that person to
                                                Administrative practice and                           *      *      *     *     *                            become associated with the futures
                                              procedure, Commodity exchanges,                         ■ 3. In § 3.31, revise paragraphs (a)(1),
                                                                                                                                                             commission merchant, retail foreign
                                              Commodity futures.                                      (a)(3)(i), (b), and (c)(1) to read as                  exchange dealer, commodity trading
                                                                                                      follows:                                               advisor, commodity pool operator,
                                                For the reasons stated in the
                                                                                                                                                             introducing broker, or leverage
                                              preamble, the Commodity Futures
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                                                                                                      § 3.31 Deficiencies, inaccuracies, and                 transaction merchant, and the reasons
                                              Trading Commission amends 17 CFR                        changes, to be reported.                               therefor; or
                                              chapter I as follows:
                                                                                                         (a)(1) Each applicant or registrant as a               (ii) The termination of the association
                                              PART 3—REGISTRATION                                     futures commission merchant, retail                    of the associated person with the futures
                                                                                                      foreign exchange dealer, swap dealer,                  commission merchant, retail foreign
                                              ■ 1. The authority citation for part 3 is               major swap participant, commodity                      exchange dealer, commodity trading
                                              revised to read as follows:                             trading advisor, commodity pool                        advisor, commodity pool operator,


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                                              1546                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                              introducing broker, or leverage                         ■  6. In § 9.2, revise paragraphs (b), (c),            § 9.4   Filing and service; official docket.
                                              transaction merchant, and the reasons                   (f), and (k) to read as follows:                          (a) Filing with the Proceedings Clerk;
                                              therefor.                                                                                                      proof of filing; proof of service. Any
                                                                                                      § 9.2   Definitions.
                                              *     *    *    *     *                                                                                        document that is required by this part
                                                                                                      *      *     *     *    *                              to be filed with the Proceedings Clerk
                                              PART 9—RULES RELATING TO                                  (b) Disciplinary action means any                    must be filed by delivering it in person
                                              REVIEW OF EXCHANGE                                      suspension, expulsion or other penalty                 or by mail to: Proceedings Clerk, Office
                                              DISCIPLINARY, ACCESS DENIAL OR                          imposed on a person by an exchange for                 of Proceedings, Commodity Futures
                                              OTHER ADVERSE ACTIONS                                   violations of rules of the exchange,                   Trading Commission, Three Lafayette
                                                                                                      including summary actions.                             Centre, 1155 21st Street NW,
                                              ■ 4. The authority citation for part 9 is                 (c) Exchange means a swap execution                  Washington, DC 20581. To be timely
                                              revised to read as follows:                             facility or any board of trade which has               filed under this part, a document must
                                                 Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 6b–1, 6c, 7, 7a–          been designated as a contract market.                  be delivered or mailed to the
                                              2, 7b–3, 8, 9, 9a, 12, 12a, 12c, 13b, 16a, 18,          *      *     *     *    *                              Proceedings Clerk within the time
                                              19, and 21.                                               (f) Member of an exchange means:                     prescribed for filing. A party must use
                                              ■ 5. In § 9.1, revise paragraphs (b) and                  (1) Any person who is admitted to                    a means of filing which is at least as
                                              (c) to read as follows:                                 membership or has been granted                         expeditious as that used in serving that
                                                                                                      membership privileges on an exchange;                  document upon the other parties. Proof
                                              § 9.1   Scope of rules.                                 any employee, officer, partner, director               of filing must be made by attaching to
                                              *      *     *    *      *                              or affiliate of such member or person                  the document for filing a statement of
                                                 (b) Matters excluded. This part does                 with membership privileges including                   service as provided in § 10.12(a)(6) of
                                              not apply to and the Commission will                    any associated person; and any other                   this chapter.
                                              not accept notices of appeal, or petitions              person under the supervision or control                   (b) Formalities of filing—(1) Number
                                              for stay pending review, of:                            of such member or person with                          of copies. Unless otherwise specifically
                                                 (1) Any arbitration proceeding,                      membership privileges; or                              provided, an original and one
                                              regardless of whether the proceeding                      (2) Any person who has trading                       conformed copy of all documents filed
                                              involved a controversy between                          privileges on an exchange.                             with the Commission in accordance
                                              members of an exchange;                                 *      *     *     *    *                              with the provisions of this part must be
                                                 (2) Except as provided in §§ 9.11(a),                  (k) Summary action means a                           filed with the Proceedings Clerk.
                                              (b)(3)(i) through (v), and (c), and 9.12(a)             disciplinary action resulting in the                      (2) Title page. All documents filed
                                              and 9.13 (concerning the notice,                        imposition of a penalty on a person for                with the Proceedings Clerk must
                                              effective date and publication of a                     violation of rules of the exchange                     include at the head thereof, or on a title
                                              disciplinary or access denial action),                  permitted under the provisions of part                 page, the name of the Commission, the
                                              any summary action permitted under                      37, appendix B, Core Principle 2,                      title of the proceeding, the docket
                                              the provisions of part 37, appendix B,                  paragraph (a)(10)(vi) of this chapter or               number (if one has been assigned by the
                                              Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(13) of                  part 38, appendix B, Core Principle 13,                Proceedings Clerk), the subject of the
                                              this chapter or part 38, appendix B, Core               paragraph (a)(4) of this chapter (penalty              particular document and the name of
                                              Principle 13, paragraph (a)(6) of this                  for impeding progress of hearing); part                the person on whose behalf the
                                              chapter imposing a minor penalty for                    37, appendix B, Core Principle 2,                      document is being filed.
                                              the violation of exchange rules relating                paragraph (a)(14) of this chapter or part                 (3) Paper, spacing, type. All
                                              to decorum or attire, or relating to the                38, appendix B, Core Principle 13,                     documents filed with the Proceedings
                                              timely submission of accurate records                   paragraph (a)(7) of this chapter                       Clerk must be typewritten, must be on
                                              required for clearing or verifying each                 (emergency disciplinary actions); part                 one grade of good white paper no less
                                              day’s transactions or other similar                     37, appendix B, Core Principle 2,                      than 8 or more than 81⁄2 inches wide
                                              activities; and                                         paragraph (a)(13) of this chapter                      and no less than 101⁄2 or more than 111⁄2
                                                 (3) Any exchange action arising from                 (summary fines for violations of rules                 inches long, and must be bound on the
                                              a claim, grievance, or dispute involving                regarding timely submission of records);               top only. They must be double-spaced,
                                              cash market transactions which are not                  or part 38, appendix B, Core Principle                 except for long quotations (3 or more
                                              a part of, or directly connected with,                  13, paragraph (a)(6) of this chapter                   lines) and footnotes which should be
                                              any transaction for the purchase, sale,                 (summary fines for violations of rules                 single-spaced.
                                              delivery or exercise of a commodity for                 regarding timely submission of records,                   (4) Signature. The original copy of all
                                              future delivery, a commodity option, or                 decorum, or other similar activities).                 papers must be signed in ink by the
                                              a swap.                                                 ■ 7. Revise § 9.3 to read as follows:                  person filing the same or by his or her
                                                 (4) The Commission will, upon its                                                                           duly authorized agent or attorney.
                                              own motion or upon motion filed                         § 9.3   Provisions referenced.                            (c) Service—(1) General requirements.
                                              pursuant to § 9.21(b), promptly notify                    Except as otherwise provided in this                 All documents filed with the
                                              the appellant and the exchange that it                  part, the following provisions of the                  Proceedings Clerk must, at or before the
                                              will not accept the notice of appeal or                 Commission’s rules relating to                         time of filing, be served upon all parties.
                                              petition for stay of matters specified in               reparations contained in part 12 of this               A party must use a means of service
                                              this paragraph. The determination to                    chapter apply to this part: § 12.3                     which is at least as expeditious as that
                                              decline to accept a notice of appeal will               (Business address; hours); § 12.5                      used in filing that document with the
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                                              be without prejudice to the appellant’s                 (Computation of time); § 12.6                          Proceedings Clerk. One copy of all
                                              right to seek alternate forms of relief that            (Extensions of time; adjournments;                     motions, petitions or applications made
                                              may be available in any other forum.                    postponements); § 12.7 (Ex parte                       in the course of the proceeding, all
                                                 (c) Applicability of these part 9 rules.             communications in reparation                           notices of appeal, all briefs, and letters
                                              Unless otherwise ordered, these rules                   proceedings); and § 12.12 (Signature).                 to the Commission or an employee
                                              will apply in their entirety to all                     ■ 8. In § 9.4, revise paragraphs (a), (b),             thereof must be served by a party upon
                                              appeals, and matters relating thereto.                  and (c) to read as follows:                            all other parties.


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                                                                  Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                           1547

                                                (2) Manner of service. Service may be                 final, the exchange must, within thirty                   (ii) A statement of the reasons for the
                                              either personal or by mail. Service by                  days thereafter, provide written notice                disciplinary action or access denial
                                              mail is complete upon deposit of the                    of such action to the person against                   action, detailing the exchange product
                                              document in the mail. Where service is                  whom the action was taken and notice                   which was involved, as applicable, and
                                              effected by mail, the time within which                 to the National Futures Association                    whether the violation that resulted in
                                              the person served may respond thereto                   (‘‘NFA’’) through the NFA’s Background                 the action also resulted in financial
                                              will be increased by three days.                        Affiliation Status Information Center                  harm to any customers together with a
                                                 (3) Designation of person to receive                 (‘‘BASIC’’) system: Provided, That a                   listing of any rules which the person
                                              service. The first document filed in a                  designated contract market is not                      who was the subject of the disciplinary
                                              proceeding by or on behalf of any party                 required to notify the NFA of any                      action or access denial action was
                                              must state on the first page the name                   summary action, as permitted under the                 charged with having violated or which
                                              and postal address of the person who is                 provisions of part 38, appendix B, Core                otherwise serve as the basis of the
                                              authorized to receive service for the                   Principle 13, paragraph (a)(6) of this                 exchange action;
                                              party of all documents filed in the                     chapter, which results in the imposition                  (iii) A statement of the conclusions
                                              proceeding. Thereafter, service of                      of minor penalties for the violation of                and findings made by the exchange with
                                              documents must be made upon the                         exchange rules relating to decorum or                  regard to each rule violation charged or,
                                              person authorized unless service on a                   attire. No final disciplinary or access                in the event of settlement, a statement
                                              different authorized person or on the                   denial action may be made effective by                 specifying those rule violations which
                                              party himself or herself is ordered by                  the exchange except as provided in                     the exchange has reason to believe were
                                              the Commission, or unless pursuant to                   § 9.12.                                                committed;
                                              § 9.8 the person authorized is changed                     (b) Contents of notice. For purposes of                (iv) The terms of the disciplinary
                                              by the party upon due notice to all other               this part:                                             action or access denial action;
                                              parties. Parties must file and serve                       (1) The written notice of a                            (v) The date on which the action was
                                              notification of any changes in the                      disciplinary action or access denial                   taken and the date the exchange intends
                                              information provided pursuant to this                   action provided to the person against                  to make the disciplinary or access
                                              subparagraph as soon as practicable                     whom the action was taken by a                         denial action effective; and
                                              after the change occurs.                                designated contract market must be a                      (vi) Except as otherwise provided in
                                              *      *     *     *     *                              copy of a written decision which                       § 9.1(b), a statement informing the party
                                              ■ 9. In § 9.8, revise paragraph (a)(1) to
                                                                                                      accords with:                                          subject to the disciplinary action or
                                                                                                         (i) Part 38, appendix B, Core Principle             access denial action of the availability of
                                              read as follows:
                                                                                                      13, paragraph (a)(3) of this chapter in                Commission review of the exchange
                                              § 9.8   Practice before the Commission.                 the case of settlement offers;                         action pursuant to section 8c of the Act
                                                (a) * * *                                                (ii) Section 38.708 of this chapter in              and this part.
                                                (1) By non-attorneys. An individual                   the case of decisions; or                                 (c) Delivery and filing of the notice.
                                              may appear pro se (on his or her own                       (iii) Part 38, appendix B, Core                     Delivery of the notice must be made
                                              behalf); a general partner may represent                Principle 13, paragraph (a)(5)(iv) of this             personally to the person who was the
                                              the partnership; a bona fide officer of a               chapter in the case of appeal decisions                subject of the disciplinary action or
                                              corporation, trust or association may                   (including copies of any materials                     access denial action, by mail to such
                                              represent the corporation, trust or                     incorporated by reference) or other                    person at that person’s last known
                                              association.                                            written notice which must include                      address, or by email to the person’s last
                                              *     *     *      *     *                              items listed in paragraphs (b)(3)(i)—(vi)              known email address. Filing of the
                                                                                                      of this section.                                       notice with the NFA is accomplished
                                              ■ 10. In § 9.9, revise paragraphs (b)(3)
                                                                                                         (2) The written notice of a                         when an authorized exchange employee
                                              and (4) to read as follows:                             disciplinary action or access denial                   verifies the accuracy of the information
                                              § 9.9 Waiver of rules; delegation of                    action provided to the person against                  entered into BASIC.
                                              authority.                                              whom the action was taken by a swap                       (d) Effect of delivery by mail or email.
                                              *      *    *     *     *                               execution facility must be a copy of a                 Delivery by mail to the person
                                                 (b) * * *                                            written decision which accords with:                   disciplined or denied access will be
                                                 (3) The General Counsel, or his or her                  (i) Part 37, appendix B, Core Principle
                                                                                                                                                             complete upon deposit in the mail of a
                                              designee, may submit to the                             2, paragraph (a)(9) of this chapter in the
                                                                                                                                                             properly addressed and postpaid
                                              Commission for its consideration any                    case of settlement offers;
                                                                                                         (ii) Section 37.206(d) of this chapter              document. Where delivery to the person
                                              matter which has been delegated                                                                                disciplined or denied access is effected
                                              pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of this                    in the case of decisions; or
                                                                                                         (iii) Part 37, appendix B, Core                     by such mail, the time within which a
                                              section.                                                                                                       notice of appeal or petition for stay may
                                                 (4) Nothing in this section will be                  Principle 2, paragraph (a)(11)(iv) of this
                                                                                                      chapter in the case of appeal decisions                be filed will be increased by three days.
                                              deemed to prohibit the Commission, at                                                                          Delivery by email will be complete
                                              its election, from exercising the                       (including copies of any materials
                                                                                                      incorporated by reference) or other                    upon transmission of the email.
                                              authority delegated to the General                                                                                (e) Certification. Copies of the notice
                                              Counsel, or his or her designee, under                  written notice which must include
                                                                                                      items listed in paragraphs (b)(3)(i)                   and the submission of any additional
                                              this section.                                                                                                  information provided pursuant to this
                                              ■ 11. Revise § 9.11 to read as follows:
                                                                                                      through (vi) of this section.
                                                                                                         (3) The notice of a disciplinary action             section must be certified as true and
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                                              § 9.11 Form, contents and delivery of                   or access denial action provided to the                correct by a duly authorized officer,
                                              notice of disciplinary or access denial                 NFA must include only the items listed                 agent or employee of the exchange.
                                              action.                                                 in the following paragraphs (b)(3)(i)                  Notice filed with the NFA is deemed
                                                (a) When required. Whenever an                        through (v):                                           certified when an authorized exchange
                                              exchange decision pursuant to which a                      (i) The name of the person against                  employee verifies the accuracy of the
                                              disciplinary action or access denial                    whom the disciplinary action or access                 information entered into BASIC.
                                              action is to be imposed has become                      denial action was taken;                               ■ 12. Revise § 9.12 to read as follows:



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                                              1548                Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 9 / Friday, January 12, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

                                              § 9.12 Effective date of disciplinary or                § 9.24(a)(2) will be increased by one                  Division in the manner requested by the
                                              access denial action.                                   day.                                                   Division and, upon request, deliver that
                                                 (a) Effective date. Any disciplinary or              ■ 13. Revise § 9.13 to read as follows:                information to the person who is the
                                              access denial action taken by an                                                                               subject of the disciplinary or access
                                              exchange will not become effective until                § 9.13   Publication of notice.                        denial action. Delivery to the person
                                              at least fifteen days after the written                    Whenever an exchange suspends,                      who is the subject of the disciplinary or
                                              notice prescribed by § 9.11 is delivered                expels or otherwise disciplines, or                    access denial action must be in the
                                              to the person disciplined or denied                     denies any person access to the                        manner prescribed by § 9.11(c). A
                                              access; Provided, however, That the                     exchange, it must make public its                      person subject to the disciplinary action
                                              exchange may cause a disciplinary                       findings by disclosing at least the                    or access denial action requesting a
                                              action to become effective prior to that                information contained in the notice                    copy of the information furnished to the
                                              time if:                                                required by § 9.11(b). An exchange must                Division must, if the exchange rules so
                                                 (1) As permitted by part 37, appendix                make such findings public as soon as                   provide, agree to pay the exchange
                                              B, Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(14) of               the disciplinary action or access denial               reasonable fees for printing the copy.
                                              this chapter or part 38, appendix B, Core               action becomes effective in accordance                    (b) Review on motion of the
                                              Principle 13, paragraph (a)(7) of this                  with the provisions of § 9.12 by posting               Commission. The Commission may
                                              chapter (emergency disciplinary                         a notice on its website to which its                   institute review of an exchange
                                              actions), the exchange reasonably                       members and the public regularly have                  disciplinary or access denial action on
                                              believes, and so states in its written                  access. Such notice must be maintained                 its own motion. Other than in
                                              decision, that immediate action is                      and readily available on the exchange’s                extraordinary circumstances, such
                                              necessary to protect the best interests of              website.                                               review will be initiated within 180 days
                                              the marketplace; or                                     ■ 14. In § 9.24, revise paragraph (a)(2) to            after the NFA has received the notice of
                                                 (2) As permitted by part 37, appendix                read as follows:                                       exchange action provided for in § 9.11.
                                              B, Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(10)(vi)                                                                     If the Commission should institute
                                                                                                      § 9.24   Petition for stay pending review.             review on its own motion, it will issue
                                              of this chapter or part 38, appendix B,                   (a) * * *
                                              Core Principle 13, paragraph (a)(4) of                                                                         an order permitting the person who is
                                                                                                        (2) Within ten days after a notice of                the subject of the disciplinary or access
                                              this chapter (hearings), the exchange                   summary action has been delivered in
                                              determines, and so states in its written                                                                       denial action an opportunity to file an
                                                                                                      accordance with § 9.12(b) to a person                  appropriate submission, and the
                                              decision, that the actions of a person                  who is the subject of a summary action
                                              who is within the exchange’s                                                                                   exchange an opportunity to file a reply
                                                                                                      permitted by part 37, appendix B, Core                 thereto.
                                              jurisdiction has impeded the progress of                Principle 2, paragraph (a)(14) of this
                                              a disciplinary hearing; or                              chapter or part 38, appendix B, Core                     Issued in Washington, DC, on January 9,
                                                 (3) As permitted by part 37, appendix                                                                       2018, by the Commission.
                                                                                                      Principle 13, paragraph (a)(7) of this
                                              B, Core Principle 2, paragraph (a)(13) of               chapter (emergency disciplinary                        Christopher J. Kirkpatrick,
                                              this chapter (summary fines for                         actions), that person may petition the                 Secretary of the Commission.
                                              violations of rules regarding timely                    Commission to stay the effectiveness of                  Note: The following appendix will not
                                              submission of records) or part 38,                      the summary action pending completion                  appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.
                                              appendix B, Core Principle 13,                          of the exchange proceeding.
                                              paragraph (a)(6) of this chapter                        *     *     *     *     *                              Appendix to Technical Amendments to
                                              (summary fines for violations of rules                                                                         Rules on Registration and Review of
                                                                                                      ■ 15. Revise § 9.31 to read as follows:
                                              regarding timely submission of records,                                                                        Exchange Disciplinary, Access Denial
                                              decorum, or other similar activities), the              § 9.31 Commission review of disciplinary               or Other Adverse Actions—Commission
                                              exchange determines that a person has                   or access denial action on its own motion.             Voting Summary
                                              violated exchange rules relating to                        (a) Request for additional information.               On this matter, Chairman Giancarlo and
                                              decorum or attire, or timely submission                 Where a person disciplined or denied                   Commissioners Quintenz and Behnam voted
                                              of accurate records required for clearing               access has not appealed the exchange                   in the affirmative. No Commissioner voted in
                                              or verifying each day’s transactions or                 decision to the Commission, upon                       the negative.
                                              other similar activities; or                            review of the notice specified in § 9.11,              [FR Doc. 2018–00467 Filed 1–11–18; 8:45 am]
                                                 (4) The person against whom the                      the Division of Market Oversight or the                BILLING CODE 6351–01–P
                                              action is taken has consented to the                    Division of Swap Dealer and
                                              penalty to be imposed and to the timing                 Intermediary Oversight may request that
                                              of its effectiveness.                                   the exchange file with the Division the                COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
                                                 (b) Notice of early effective date. If the           record of the exchange proceeding, or                  COMMISSION
                                              exchange determines in accordance                       designated portions of the record, a brief
                                              with paragraph (a)(1) of this section that              statement of the evidence and testimony                17 CFR Part 9
                                              a disciplinary action will become                       adduced to support the exchange’s
                                              effective prior to the expiration of                    findings that a rule or rules of the                   Performance of Certain Functions by
                                              fifteen days after written notice thereof,              exchange were violated and such                        the National Futures Association With
                                              it must notify the person disciplined in                recordings, transcripts and other                      Respect to the Receipt and Processing
                                              writing, either personally or by email to               documents applicable to the particular                 of Exchange Disciplinary and Access
                                              the person’s last known email address,                  exchange proceeding as the Division                    Denial Action Information
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                                              stating the reasons for the                             may specify. The exchange must                         AGENCY:  Commodity Futures Trading
                                              determination. The exchange must also                   promptly advise the person who is the                  Commission.
                                              immediately notify the Commission by                    subject of the disciplinary or access                  ACTION: Notice and order; delegation of
                                              email to secretary@cftc.gov. Where                      denial action of the Division’s request.               authority.
                                              notice is delivered by email, the time                  Within thirty days after service of the
                                              within which the person so notified                     Division’s request, the exchange must                  SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures
                                              may file a petition for stay pursuant to                file the information requested with the                Trading Commission (‘‘Commission’’ or


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Document Created: 2018-10-26 09:52:50
Document Modified: 2018-10-26 09:52:50
CategoryRegulatory Information
CollectionFederal Register
sudoc ClassAE 2.7:
GS 4.107:
AE 2.106:
PublisherOffice of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration
SectionRules and Regulations
ActionFinal rule.
DatesThis final rule is effective March 13, 2018.
ContactRachel Berdansky, Deputy Director, 202-418-5429 or [email protected]; David Steinberg, Associate Director, 202-418-5102 or [email protected]; Division of Market Oversight, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1151 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20581.
FR Citation83 FR 1538 
RIN Number3038-AE15
CFR Citation17 CFR 3
17 CFR 9
CFR AssociatedAdministrative Practice and Procedure; Brokers; Commodity Futures; Major Swap Participants; Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements; Swap Dealers and Commodity Exchanges

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