83_FR_60568 83 FR 60341 - Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants

83 FR 60341 - Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants

COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

Federal Register Volume 83, Issue 227 (November 26, 2018)

Page Range60341-60347
FR Document2018-25602

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or ``CFTC'') is adopting amendments (``Final Rule'') to its margin requirements for uncleared swaps for swap dealers (``SD'') and major swap participants (``MSP'') for which there is no prudential regulator (``CFTC Margin Rule''). The Commission is adopting these amendments in light of the rules recently adopted by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (``Board''), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (``FDIC''), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (``OCC'') (collectively, the ``QFC Rules'') that impose restrictions on certain uncleared swaps and uncleared security-based swaps and other financial contracts. Specifically, the Commission is amending the definition of ``eligible master netting agreement'' in the CFTC Margin Rule to ensure that master netting agreements of firms subject to the CFTC Margin Rule are not excluded from the definition of ``eligible master netting agreement'' based solely on such agreements' compliance with the QFC Rules. The Commission also is amending the CFTC Margin Rule such that any legacy uncleared swap (i.e., an uncleared swap entered into before the applicable compliance date of the CFTC Margin Rule) that is not now subject to the margin requirements of the CFTC Margin Rule will not become so subject if it is amended solely to comply with the QFC Rules. These amendments are consistent with amendments that the Board, FDIC, OCC, the Farm Credit Administration (``FCA''), and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (``FHFA'' and, together with the Board, FDIC, OCC, and FCA, the ``Prudential Regulators''), jointly published in the Federal Register on October 10, 2018.

Federal Register, Volume 83 Issue 227 (Monday, November 26, 2018)
[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 227 (Monday, November 26, 2018)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 60341-60347]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2018-25602]


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COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING COMMISSION

17 CFR Part 23

RIN 3038-AE71


Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and 
Major Swap Participants

AGENCY: Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

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SUMMARY: The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (``Commission'' or 
``CFTC'') is adopting amendments (``Final Rule'') to its margin 
requirements for uncleared swaps for swap dealers (``SD'') and major 
swap participants (``MSP'') for which there is no prudential regulator 
(``CFTC Margin Rule''). The Commission is adopting these amendments in 
light of the rules recently adopted by the Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System (``Board''), the Federal Deposit Insurance 
Corporation (``FDIC''), and the Office of the Comptroller of the 
Currency (``OCC'') (collectively, the

[[Page 60342]]

``QFC Rules'') that impose restrictions on certain uncleared swaps and 
uncleared security-based swaps and other financial contracts. 
Specifically, the Commission is amending the definition of ``eligible 
master netting agreement'' in the CFTC Margin Rule to ensure that 
master netting agreements of firms subject to the CFTC Margin Rule are 
not excluded from the definition of ``eligible master netting 
agreement'' based solely on such agreements' compliance with the QFC 
Rules. The Commission also is amending the CFTC Margin Rule such that 
any legacy uncleared swap (i.e., an uncleared swap entered into before 
the applicable compliance date of the CFTC Margin Rule) that is not now 
subject to the margin requirements of the CFTC Margin Rule will not 
become so subject if it is amended solely to comply with the QFC Rules. 
These amendments are consistent with amendments that the Board, FDIC, 
OCC, the Farm Credit Administration (``FCA''), and the Federal Housing 
Finance Agency (``FHFA'' and, together with the Board, FDIC, OCC, and 
FCA, the ``Prudential Regulators''), jointly published in the Federal 
Register on October 10, 2018.

DATES: This final rule is effective December 26, 2018.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Matthew Kulkin, Director, (202) 418-
5213, [email protected]; Frank Fisanich, Chief Counsel, (202) 418-5949, 
[email protected]; or Jacob Chachkin, Special Counsel, (202) 418-5496, 
[email protected], Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight, 
Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st 
Street NW, Washington, DC 20581.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

A. The CFTC Margin Rule

    Section 731 of the Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act 
(``Dodd-Frank Act'') \1\ added a new section 4s to the Commodity 
Exchange Act (``CEA'') \2\ setting forth various requirements for SDs 
and MSPs. Section 4s(e) of the CEA directs the Commission to adopt 
rules establishing minimum initial and variation margin requirements on 
all swaps \3\ that are (i) entered into by an SD or MSP for which there 
is no Prudential Regulator \4\ (collectively, ``covered swap entities'' 
or ``CSEs'') and (ii) not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing 
organization (``uncleared swaps'').\5\ To offset the greater risk to 
the SD or MSP \6\ and the financial system arising from the use of 
uncleared swaps, these requirements must (i) help ensure the safety and 
soundness of the SD or MSP and (ii) be appropriate for the risk 
associated with the uncleared swaps held as an SD or MSP.\7\
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    \1\ Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 
Public Law 111-203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010).
    \2\ 7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.
    \3\ For the definition of swap, see section 1a(47) of the CEA 
and Commission regulation 1.3. 7 U.S.C. 1a(47) and 17 CFR 1.3. It 
includes, among other things, an interest rate swap, commodity swap, 
credit default swap, and currency swap.
    \4\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(1)(B). SDs and MSPs for which there is a 
Prudential Regulator must meet the margin requirements for uncleared 
swaps established by the applicable Prudential Regulator. 7 U.S.C. 
6s(e)(1)(A). See also 7 U.S.C. 1a(39) (defining the term 
``Prudential Regulator'' to include the Board; the OCC; the FDIC; 
the FCA; and the FHFA). The definition further specifies the 
entities for which these agencies act as Prudential Regulators. The 
Prudential Regulators published final margin requirements in 
November 2015. See Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap 
Entities, 80 FR 74840 (Nov. 30, 2015) (``Prudential Margin Rule'').
    \5\ See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2)(B)(ii). In Commission regulation 
23.151, the Commission further defined this statutory language to 
mean all swaps that are not cleared by a registered derivatives 
clearing organization or a derivatives clearing organization that 
the Commission has exempted from registration as provided under the 
CEA. 17 CFR 23.151.
    \6\ For the definitions of SD and MSP, see section 1a of the CEA 
and Commission regulation 1.3. 7 U.S.C. 1a and 17 CFR 1.3.
    \7\ 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(3)(A).
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    To this end, the Commission promulgated the CFTC Margin Rule in 
January 2016,\8\ establishing requirements for a CSE to collect and 
post initial margin \9\ and variation margin \10\ for uncleared swaps. 
These requirements vary based on the type of counterparty to such 
swaps.\11\ These requirements generally apply only to uncleared swaps 
entered into on or after the compliance date applicable to a particular 
CSE and its counterparty (``covered swap'').\12\ An uncleared swap 
entered into prior to a CSE's applicable compliance date for a 
particular counterparty (``legacy swap'') is generally not subject to 
the margin requirements in the CFTC Margin Rule.\13\
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    \8\ Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and 
Major Swap Participants, 81 FR 636 (Jan. 6, 2016). The CFTC Margin 
Rule, which became effective April 1, 2016, is codified in part 23 
of the Commission's regulations. 17 CFR 23.150-23.159, 23.161.
    \9\ Initial margin, as defined in Commission regulation 23.151 
(17 CFR 23.151), is the collateral (calculated as provided by Sec.  
23.154 of the Commission's regulations) that is collected or posted 
in connection with one or more uncleared swaps. Initial margin is 
intended to secure potential future exposure following default of a 
counterparty (i.e., adverse changes in the value of an uncleared 
swap that may arise during the period of time when it is being 
closed out), while variation margin is provided from one 
counterparty to the other in consideration of changes that have 
occurred in the mark-to-market value of the uncleared swap. See CFTC 
Margin Rule, 81 FR at 664 and 683.
    \10\ Variation margin, as defined in Commission regulation 
23.151 (17 CFR 23.151), is the collateral provided by a party to its 
counterparty to meet the performance of its obligation under one or 
more uncleared swaps between the parties as a result of a change in 
the value of such obligations since the trade was executed or the 
last time such collateral was provided.
    \11\ See Commission regulations 23.152 and 23.153, 17 CFR 23.152 
and 23.153. For example, the CFTC Margin Rule does not require a CSE 
to collect margin from, or post margin to, a counterparty that is 
neither a swap entity nor a financial end user (each as defined in 
17 CFR 23.151). Pursuant to section 2(e) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 2(e), 
each counterparty to an uncleared swap must be an eligible contract 
participant (``ECP''), as defined in section 1a(18) of the CEA, 7 
U.S.C. 1a(18).
    \12\ Pursuant to Commission regulation 23.161, compliance dates 
for the CFTC Margin Rule are staggered such that SDs must come into 
compliance in a series of phases over four years. The first phase 
affected SDs and their counterparties, each with the largest 
aggregate outstanding notional amounts of uncleared swaps and 
certain other financial products. These SDs began complying with 
both the initial and variation margin requirements of the CFTC 
Margin Rule on September 1, 2016. The second phase began March 1, 
2017, and required SDs to comply with the variation margin 
requirements of Commission regulation 23.153 with all relevant 
counterparties not covered in the first phase. See 17 CFR 23.161. On 
each September 1 thereafter ending with September 1, 2020, SDs will 
begin to comply with the initial margin requirements with 
counterparties with successively lesser outstanding notional 
amounts.
    \13\ See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and Commission 
regulation 23.161. 17 CFR 23.161.
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    To the extent that more than one uncleared swap is executed between 
a CSE and its covered counterparty, the CFTC Margin Rule permits the 
netting of required margin amounts of each swap under certain 
circumstances.\14\ In particular, the CFTC Margin Rule, subject to 
certain limitations, permits a CSE to calculate initial margin and 
variation margin, respectively, on an aggregate net basis across 
uncleared swaps that are executed under the same eligible master 
netting agreement (``EMNA'').\15\ Moreover, the CFTC Margin Rule 
permits swap counterparties to identify one or more separate netting 
portfolios (i.e., a specified group of uncleared swaps the margin 
obligations of which will be netted only against each other) under the 
same EMNA, including having separate netting portfolios for covered 
swaps and legacy swaps.\16\ A netting

[[Page 60343]]

portfolio that contains only legacy swaps is not subject to the initial 
and variation margin requirements set out in the CFTC Margin Rule.\17\ 
However, if a netting portfolio contains any covered swaps, the entire 
netting portfolio (including all legacy swaps) is subject to such 
requirements.\18\
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    \14\ See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and Commission 
regulations 23.152(c) and 23.153(d). 17 CFR 23.152(c) and 23.153(d).
    \15\ Id. The term EMNA is defined in Commission regulation 
23.151. 17 CFR 23.151. Generally, an EMNA creates a single legal 
obligation for all individual transactions covered by the agreement 
upon an event of default following certain specified permitted 
stays. For example, an International Swaps and Derivatives 
Association (``ISDA'') form Master Agreement may be an EMNA, if it 
meets the specified requirements in the EMNA definition.
    \16\ See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and Commission 
regulations 23.152(c)(2)(ii) and 23.153(d)(2)(ii). 17 CFR 
23.152(c)(2)(ii) and 23.153(d)(2)(ii).
    \17\ Id.
    \18\ Id.
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    A legacy swap may lose its legacy treatment under the CFTC Margin 
Rule, causing it to become a covered swap and causing any netting 
portfolio in which it is included to be subject to the requirements of 
the CFTC Margin Rule. For reasons discussed in the CFTC Margin Rule, 
the Commission elected not to extend the meaning of legacy swaps to 
include (1) legacy swaps that are amended in a material or nonmaterial 
manner; (2) novations of legacy swaps; and (3) new swaps that result 
from portfolio compression of legacy swaps.\19\ Therefore, and as 
relevant here, a legacy swap that is amended after the applicable 
compliance date may become a covered swap subject to the initial and 
variation margin requirements in the CFTC Margin Rule. In that case, 
netting portfolios that were intended to contain only legacy swaps and, 
thus, not be subject to the CFTC Margin Rule may become so subject.
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    \19\ See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 675. The Commission notes 
that certain limited relief has been given from this standard. See 
CFTC Staff Letter No. 17-52 (Oct. 27. 2017), available at http://www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@lrlettergeneral/documents/letter/17-52.pdf.
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B. The QFC Rules

    In late 2017, as part of the broader regulatory reform effort 
following the financial crisis to promote U.S. financial stability and 
increase the resolvability and resiliency of U.S. global systemically 
important banking institutions (``U.S. GSIBs'') \20\ and the U.S. 
operations of foreign global systemically important banking 
institutions (together with U.S. GSIBS, ``GSIBs''), the Board, FDIC, 
and OCC adopted the QFC Rules. The QFC Rules establish restrictions on 
and requirements for uncleared qualified financial contracts \21\ 
(collectively, ``Covered QFCs'') of GSIBs, the subsidiaries of U.S. 
GSIBs, and certain other very large OCC-supervised national banks and 
Federal savings associations (collectively, ``Covered QFC 
Entities'').\22\ They are designed to help ensure that a failed 
company's passage through a resolution proceeding--such as bankruptcy 
or the special resolution process created by the Dodd-Frank Act--would 
be more orderly, thereby helping to mitigate destabilizing effects on 
the rest of the financial system.\23\ Two aspects of the QFC Rules help 
achieve this goal.\24\
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    \20\ See 12 CFR 217.402 (defining global systemically important 
banking institution).
    \21\ Qualified financial contract (``QFC'') is defined in 
section 210(c)(8)(D) of the Dodd-Frank Act to mean any securities 
contract, commodity contract, forward contract, repurchase 
agreement, swap agreement, and any similar agreement that the FDIC 
determines by regulation, resolution, or order to be a qualified 
financial contract. 12 U.S.C. 5390(c)(8)(D).
    \22\ See, e.g., 12 CFR 252.82(c) (defining Covered QFC). See 
also 82 FR 42882 (Sep. 12, 2017) (for the Board's QFC Rule). See 
also 82 FR 50228 (Oct. 30, 2017) (for FDIC's QFC Rule). See also 82 
FR 56630 (Nov. 29, 2017) (for the OCC's QFC Rule). The effective 
date of the Board's QFC Rule is November 13, 2017, and the effective 
date for the OCC's QFC Rule and the substance of the FDIC's QFC Rule 
is January 1, 2018. The QFC Rules include a phased-in conformance 
period for a Covered QFC Entity, beginning on January 1, 2019 and 
ending on January 1, 2020, that varies depending upon the 
counterparty type of the Covered QFC Entity. See, e.g., 12 CFR 
252.82(f).
    \23\ See, e.g., Board's QFC Rule at 42883. In particular, the 
QFC Rules seek to facilitate the orderly resolution of a failed GSIB 
by limiting the ability of the firm's Covered QFC counterparties to 
terminate such contracts immediately upon entry of the GSIB or one 
of its affiliates into resolution. Given the large volume of QFCs to 
which covered entities are a party, the exercise of default rights 
en masse as a result of the failure or significant distress of a 
covered entity could lead to failure and a disorderly resolution if 
the failed firm were forced to sell off assets, which could spread 
contagion by increasing volatility and lowering the value of similar 
assets held by other firms, or to withdraw liquidity that it had 
provided to other firms.
    \24\ Id.
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    First, the QFC Rules generally require the Covered QFCs of Covered 
QFC Entities to contain contractual provisions explicitly providing 
that any default rights or restrictions on the transfer of the Covered 
QFC are limited to the same extent as they would be pursuant to the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (``FDI Act'')\25\ and Title II of the 
Dodd-Frank Act. Requiring these points to be stated as explicit 
contractual provisions in the Covered QFCs is expected to reduce the 
risk that the relevant limitations on default rights or transfer 
restrictions would be challenged by a court in a foreign 
jurisdiction.\26\
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    \25\ 12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.
    \26\ See, e.g., Board's QFC Rule at 42883 and 42890 and 12 CFR 
252.83(b).
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    Second, the QFC Rules generally prohibit Covered QFCs from allowing 
counterparties to Covered QFC Entities to exercise default rights 
related, directly or indirectly, to the entry into resolution of an 
affiliate of the Covered QFC Entity (``cross-default rights'').\27\ 
This is to ensure that if an affiliate of a solvent Covered QFC Entity 
fails, the counterparties of that solvent Covered QFC Entity cannot 
terminate their contracts with it based solely on the failure of its 
affiliate.\28\
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    \27\ See, e.g., Board's QFC Rule at 42883 and 12 CFR 252.84(b). 
Covered QFC Entities are similarly generally prohibited from 
entering into Covered QFCs that would restrict the transfer of a 
credit enhancement supporting the Covered QFC from the Covered QFC 
Entity's affiliate to a transferee upon the entry into resolution of 
the affiliate. See, e.g., Board's QFC Rule at 42890 and 12 CFR 
252.84(b)(2).
    \28\ Id.
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    Covered QFC Entities are required to enter into amendments to 
certain pre-existing Covered QFCs to explicitly provide for these 
requirements and to ensure that Covered QFCs entered into after the 
applicable compliance date for the rule explicitly provide for the 
same.\29\
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    \29\ See, e.g., 12 CFR 252.82(a) and (c). The QFC Rules require 
a Covered QFC Entity to conform Covered QFCs (i) entered into, 
executed, or to which it otherwise becomes a party on or after 
January 1, 2019 or (ii) entered into, executed, or to which it 
otherwise became a party before January 1, 2019, if the Covered QFC 
Entity or any affiliate that is a Covered QFC Entity also enters, 
executes, or otherwise becomes a party to a new Covered QFC with the 
counterparty to the pre-existing Covered QFC or a consolidated 
affiliate of the counterparty on or after January 1, 2019.
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C. Interaction of CFTC Margin Rule and QFC Rules

    As noted above, the current definition of EMNA in Commission 
regulation 23.151 allows for certain specified permissible stays of 
default rights of the CSE. Specifically, consistent with the QFC Rules, 
the current definition provides that such rights may be stayed pursuant 
to a special resolution regime such as Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act, 
the FDI Act, and substantially similar foreign resolution regimes.\30\ 
However, the current EMNA definition does not explicitly recognize 
certain restrictions on the exercise of a CSE's cross-default rights 
required under the QFC Rules.\31\ Therefore, a pre-existing EMNA that 
is amended in order to become compliant with the QFC Rules or a new 
master netting agreement that conforms to the QFC Rules will not meet 
the current definition of EMNA, and a CSE that is a counterparty under 
such a master netting agreement--one that does not meet the definition 
of EMNA--would be required to measure its exposures from covered swaps 
on a gross basis, rather than aggregate net basis, for purposes of the 
CFTC Margin Rule.\32\ Further, if a legacy swap were amended to comply

[[Page 60344]]

with the QFC Rules,\33\ it would become a covered swap subject to 
initial and variation margin requirements under the CFTC Margin 
Rule.\34\
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    \30\ 17 CFR 23.151.
    \31\ Id.
    \32\ See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and Commission 
regulations 23.152(c) and 23.153(d). 17 CFR 23.152(c) and 23.153(d).
    \33\ Covered QFC Entities must conform to the requirements of 
the QFC Rules for Covered QFCs entered into on or after January 1, 
2019 and, in some instances, Covered QFCs entered into before that 
date.\33\ To do so, a Covered QFC Entity may need to amend the 
contractual provisions of its pre-existing Covered QFCs.
    \34\ Note, therefore, that such amendment would affect all 
parties to the legacy swap, not only the Covered QFC Entity subject 
to the QFC Rules.
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II. Proposal

    On May 23, 2018, the Commission published a Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (``Proposal'') \35\ to amend Commission regulations 23.151 
and 23.161 to protect CSEs and their counterparties from being 
disadvantaged because their master netting agreements do not satisfy 
the definition of an EMNA, solely because such agreements' comply with 
the QFC Rules or because such agreements would have to be amended to 
achieve compliance. Specifically, the Commission proposed to (i) revise 
the definition of EMNA in Commission regulation 23.151 such that a 
master netting agreement that meets the requirements of the QFC Rules 
may be an EMNA and (ii) amend Commission regulation 23.161 such that a 
legacy swap will not be a covered swap under the CFTC Margin Rule if it 
is amended solely to conform to the QFC Rules.
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    \35\ 83 FR 23842 (May 23, 2018).
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    The Commission requested comments on the Proposal and also 
solicited comments on the impact of the Proposal on small entities, the 
Commission's cost benefit considerations, and any anti-competitive 
effects of the Proposal. The comment period for the Proposal ended on 
July 23, 2018.

III. Summary of Comments

    The Commission received four relevant comments in response to the 
Proposal--from the Institute of International Bankers (``IIB''), ISDA, 
Navient Corporation (``Navient''), and NEX Group plc (``NEX''), 
respectively.\36\ Though these comments raised issues unrelated to the 
Proposal or suggested additions that would go beyond the scope of the 
Proposal,\37\ the comments were generally supportive of the aims of the 
Proposal.
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    \36\ The Commission also received one comment that was not 
relevant to the Proposal. All of the comments are available at 
https://comments.cftc.gov/PublicComments/CommentList.aspx?id=2878.
    \37\ Navient requested relief from covered swap status arising 
from certain amendments to legacy swaps involving special purpose 
vehicles created for securitization purposes (``Securitization 
SPVs'') and more generally requested an exemption from the CFTC 
Margin Rule for certain Securitization SPVs. NEX requested relief 
from covered swap status for legacy swaps which are compressed in a 
multilateral portfolio compression exercise. ISDA and IIB requested 
the Commission, in conjunction with the Prudential Regulators, more 
generally provide broad guidance on amendments to legacy swaps, 
including that amendments required by domestic or foreign regulatory 
or legislative developments (e.g., reforms of benchmark interest 
rates) will not cause them to become covered swaps. These requests 
for additional changes and exemptions to the CFTC Margin Rule are 
outside of the scope of the Proposal, as the Proposal relates solely 
to changes to the CFTC Margin Rule in relation to the requirements 
of the QFC Rules. However, as the Commission continues to assess 
industry developments such as interest rate benchmark reform, it 
will take into account any associated implementation ramifications 
surrounding the treatment of legacy swaps under the CFTC Margin 
Rule.
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    Navient and NEX were supportive of the Commission's Proposal in 
full. ISDA was supportive of the Commission's proposal to revise the 
definition of EMNA. IIB did not comment on this aspect of the Proposal. 
ISDA and IIB were appreciative of the proposal on the treatment of 
legacy swaps impacted by the QFC Rules, but, on balance, thought broad 
guidance on the treatment of amendments to legacy swaps more generally 
was a better alternative to the proposed limited amendment of the CFTC 
Margin Rule relating to the QFC Rules. Such broad guidance requested by 
ISDA and IIB is outside of the scope of the Proposal.

IV. Final Rule

    After consideration of relevant comments, the Commission is 
adopting this Final Rule as proposed.
    Accordingly, the Commission is adding a new paragraph (2)(ii) to 
the definition of ``eligible master netting agreement'' in Commission 
regulation 23.151 and making other minor related changes to that 
definition such that a master netting agreement may be an EMNA even 
though the agreement limits the right to accelerate, terminate, and 
close-out on a net basis all transactions under the agreement and to 
liquidate or set-off collateral promptly upon an event of default of 
the counterparty to the extent necessary for the counterparty to comply 
with the requirements of any of the following parts of Title 12 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations: Part 47, subpart I of part 252, or part 
382, as applicable. These enumerated provisions contain the relevant 
requirements that have been added by the QFC Rules.
    Further, so that a legacy swap will not be a covered swap under the 
CFTC Margin Rule if it is amended solely to conform to the QFC Rules, 
the Commission is adding a new paragraph (d) to the end of Commission 
regulation 23.161, as shown in the rule text in this document. This 
addition will provide certainty to a CSE and its counterparties about 
the treatment of legacy swaps and any applicable netting arrangements 
in light of the QFC Rules. However, if, in addition to amendments 
required to comply with the QFC Rules, the parties enter into any other 
amendments, the amended legacy swap will be a covered swap in 
accordance with the application of the CFTC Margin Rule.
    This Final Rule is consistent with amendments to the Prudential 
Margin Rule that the Prudential Regulators jointly published in the 
Federal Register on October 10, 2018.\38\ Making amendments to the CFTC 
Margin Rule that are consistent with those of the Prudential Regulators 
furthers the Commission's efforts to harmonize its margin regime with 
the Prudential Regulators' margin regime and is responsive to 
suggestions received as part of the Commission's Project KISS 
initiative.\39\
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    \38\ Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap Entities; 
Final Rule, 83 FR 50805 (Oct. 10, 2018).
    \39\ See Project KISS Initiatives, available at https://comments.cftc.gov/KISS/KissInitiative.aspx. The Commission received 
requests to coordinate revisions to the CFTC Margin Rule with the 
Prudential Regulators. See comments from Credit Suisse (``CS''), the 
Financial Services Roundtable (``FSR''), ISDA, the Managed Funds 
Association (``MFA''), and SIFMA Global Foreign Exchange Division 
(``GFMA''). GFMA requested that the Commission coordinate with the 
Prudential Regulators on proposing or making any changes to the CFTC 
Margin Rule to ensure harmonization and consistency across the 
respective rule sets. In addition, CS, FSR, ISDA, and MFA, as well 
as GFMA requested that the Commission make certain specific changes 
to the CFTC Margin Rule in coordination with the Prudential 
Regulators relating to, for example, initial margin calculations and 
requirements, margin settlement timeframes, netting product sets, 
inter-affiliate margin exemptions, and cross-border margin issues. 
Project KISS suggestions are available at https://comments.cftc.gov/KISS/KissInitiative.aspx.
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V. Related Matters

A. Regulatory Flexibility Act

    The Regulatory Flexibility Act (``RFA'') requires Federal agencies, 
in promulgating regulations, to consider whether the rules they propose 
will have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of 
small entities and, if so, to provide a regulatory flexibility analysis 
regarding the economic impact on those entities. In the Proposal, the 
Commission certified that the Proposal would not have a significant 
economic impact on a substantial number of small entities. The 
Commission requested comments with respect to the RFA and received no 
such comments.
    As discussed in the Proposal, this Final Rule only affects certain 
SDs and

[[Page 60345]]

MSPs that are subject to the QFC Rules and their covered 
counterparties, all of which are required to be ECPs.\40\ The 
Commission has previously determined that SDs, MSPs, and ECPs are not 
small entities for purposes of the RFA.\41\ Therefore, the Commission 
finds that this Final Rule will not have a significant economic impact 
on a substantial number of small entities, as defined in the RFA.
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    \40\ See supra, n.12.
    \41\ See Registration of Swap Dealers and Major Swap 
Participants, 77 FR 2613, 2620 (Jan. 19, 2012) (SDs and MSPs) and 
Opting Out of Segregation, 66 FR 20740, 20743 (April 25, 2001) 
(ECPs).
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    Accordingly, the Chairman, on behalf of the Commission, hereby 
certifies pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this Final Rule 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'') \42\ 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. The Commission may not conduct or 
sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of 
information unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management 
and Budget control number. As discussed in the Proposal, this Final 
Rule contains no requirements subject to the PRA.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \42\ 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

C. Cost-Benefit Considerations

    The Commission received no comments with regard to its preliminary 
cost-benefit considerations in the Proposal. 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. Section 15(a) 
further specifies that the costs and benefits shall be evaluated in 
light of the following five broad areas of market and public concern: 
(1) Protection of market participants and the public; (2) efficiency, 
competitiveness, and financial integrity of futures 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) considerations.
    This Final Rule prevents certain CSEs and their counterparties from 
being disadvantaged because their master netting agreements do not 
satisfy the definition of an EMNA, solely because such agreements' 
comply with the QFC Rules or because such agreements would have to be 
amended to achieve compliance. It revises the definition of EMNA such 
that a master netting agreement that meets the requirements of the QFC 
Rules may be an EMNA and provides that an amendment to a legacy swap 
solely to conform to the QFC Rules will not cause that swap to be a 
covered swap under the CFTC Margin Rule.
    The Commission notes that the consideration of costs and benefits 
below is based on the understanding that the markets function 
internationally, with many transactions involving United States firms 
taking place across international boundaries; with some Commission 
registrants being organized outside of the United States; with leading 
industry members typically conducting operations both within and 
outside the United States; and with industry members commonly following 
substantially similar business practices wherever located. Where the 
Commission does not specifically refer to matters of location, the 
below discussion of costs and benefits refers to the effects of this 
Final Rule on all activity subject to it, whether by virtue of the 
activity's physical location in the United States or by virtue of the 
activity's connection with or effect on United States commerce under 
CEA section 2(i).\43\ In particular, the Commission notes that some 
persons affected by this rulemaking are located outside of the United 
States.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \43\ 7 U.S.C. 2(i).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The baseline against which the benefits and costs associated with 
this Final Rule is compared is the uncleared swaps markets as they 
exist today, with the QFC Rules in effect.\44\ With this as the 
baseline for this Final Rule, the following are the benefits and costs 
of this Proposal.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \44\ Although, as described above, the QFC Rules will be 
gradually phased in, for purposes of the cost benefit 
considerations, we assume that the affected CSEs are in compliance 
with the QFC Rules.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

1. Benefits
    As described above, this Final Rule will allow parties whose master 
netting agreements satisfy the proposed revised definition of EMNA to 
continue to calculate initial margin and variation margin, 
respectively, on an aggregate net basis across uncleared swaps that are 
executed under that EMNA. Otherwise, a CSE that is a counterparty under 
a master netting agreement that complies with the QFC Rules and, thus, 
does not satisfy the current definition of EMNA, would be required to 
measure its exposures from covered swaps on a gross basis for purposes 
of the CFTC Margin Rule. In addition, this Final Rule allows legacy 
swaps to maintain their legacy status, notwithstanding that they are 
amended to comply with the QFC Rules. Otherwise, such swaps would 
become covered swaps subject to initial and variation margin 
requirements under the CFTC Margin Rule. This Final Rule provides 
certainty to CSEs and their counterparties about the treatment of 
legacy swaps and any applicable netting arrangements in light of the 
QFC Rules.
2. Costs
    Because this Final Rule (i) will solely expand the definition of 
EMNA to potentially include those master netting agreements that meet 
the requirements of the QFC Rules and allow the amendment of legacy 
swaps solely to conform to the QFC Rules without causing such swaps to 
become covered swaps and (ii) does not require market participants to 
take any action to benefit from these changes, the Commission believes 
that this Final Rule will not impose any additional costs on market 
participants.
3. Section 15(a) Considerations
    In light of the foregoing, the CFTC has evaluated the costs and 
benefits of this Final Rule pursuant to the five considerations 
identified in section 15(a) of the CEA as follows:
(a) Protection of Market Participants and the Public
    As noted above, this Final Rule will protect market participants by 
allowing them to comply with the QFC Rules without being disadvantaged 
under the CFTC Margin Rule. This Final Rule will facilitate market 
participants' use of swaps that would be affected by this Final Rule to 
hedge. Without this Final Rule, posting gross margin instead of net 
margin for those swaps would be required, which would raise transaction 
costs and thus likely reduce the use of such swaps for hedging.
(b) Efficiency, Competitiveness, and Financial Integrity of Markets
    This Final Rule will make the uncleared swap markets more efficient 
by allowing net margining of swap portfolios under master netting 
agreements that comply with the QFC Rules and, thus, do not satisfy the 
current EMNA definition instead of requiring the payment of gross 
margin under such agreements. Also, absent this Final Rule, market 
participants that are required to amend their EMNAs to comply with the 
QFC Rules and, thereafter, required to measure their

[[Page 60346]]

exposure on a gross basis and to post margin on their legacy swaps, 
would be placed at a competitive disadvantage as compared to those 
market participants that are not so required to amend their EMNAs. 
Therefore, this Final Rule may increase the competitiveness of the 
uncleared swaps markets. In addition, this Final Rule furthers the 
Commission's efforts to harmonize its margin regime with the Prudential 
Regulators' margin regime, and therefore may improve the efficiency, 
competitiveness, and financial integrity of markets.
(c) Price Discovery
    This Final Rule permits the payment of net margin instead of gross 
margin on portfolios of swaps affected by this Final Rule, which would 
reduce margining costs to those swaps transactions. Reducing the cost 
to transact these swaps, might lead to more trading, which could 
potentially improve liquidity and benefit price discovery.
(d) Sound Risk Management
    This Final Rule prevents the payment of gross margin on swaps 
affected by this Final Rule, which does not reflect true economic 
counterparty credit risk for swap portfolios transacted with 
counterparties. Therefore, this Final Rule supports sound risk 
management.
(e) Other Public Interest Considerations
    The Commission has not identified an impact on other public 
interest considerations as a result of this Final Rule.

D. Antitrust Laws

    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 
purposes of the CEA, in issuing any order or adopting any Commission 
rule or regulation.\45\ The Commission believes that the public 
interest to be protected by the antitrust laws is generally to protect 
competition. The Commission requested and did not receive any comments 
on whether the Proposal implicated any other specific public interest 
to be protected by the antitrust laws.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \45\ 7 U.S.C. 19(b).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission has considered this Final Rule to determine whether 
it is anticompetitive and has preliminarily identified no 
anticompetitive effects. The Commission requested and did not receive 
any comments on whether the Proposal was anticompetitive and, if it is, 
what the anticompetitive effects are.
    Because the Commission has preliminarily determined that this Final 
Rule is not anticompetitive and has no anticompetitive effects and 
received no comments on its determination, the Commission has not 
identified any less anticompetitive means of achieving the purposes of 
the CEA.

List of Subjects in 17 CFR Part 23

    Capital and margin requirements, Major swap participants, Swap 
dealers, Swaps.

    For the reasons stated in the preamble, the Commodity Futures 
Trading Commission amends 17 CFR part 23 as follows:

PART 23--SWAP DEALERS AND MAJOR SWAP PARTICIPANTS

0
1. The authority citation for part 23 continues to read as follows:

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 6, 6a, 6b, 6b-1,6c, 6p, 6r, 6s, 6t, 
9, 9a, 12, 12a, 13b, 13c, 16a, 18, 19, 21.
    Section 23.160 also issued under 7 U.S.C. 2(i); Sec. 721(b), 
Pub. L. 111-203, 124 Stat. 1641 (2010).


0
2. In Sec.  23.151, revise paragraph (2) in the definition of Eligible 
master netting agreement to read as follows:


Sec.  23.151  Definitions applicable to margin requirements.

* * * * *
    Eligible master netting agreement * * *
    (2) The agreement provides the covered swap entity the right to 
accelerate, terminate, and close-out on a net basis all transactions 
under the agreement and to liquidate or set-off collateral promptly 
upon an event of default, including upon an event of receivership, 
conservatorship, insolvency, liquidation, or similar proceeding, of the 
counterparty, provided that, in any such case,
    (i) Any exercise of rights under the agreement will not be stayed 
or avoided under applicable law in the relevant jurisdictions, other 
than:
    (A) In receivership, conservatorship, or resolution under the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.), Title II of the 
Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (12 U.S.C. 
5381 et seq.), the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and 
Soundness Act of 1992, as amended (12 U.S.C. 4617), or the Farm Credit 
Act of 1971, as amended (12 U.S.C. 2183 and 2279cc), or laws of foreign 
jurisdictions that are substantially similar to the U.S. laws 
referenced in this paragraph in order to facilitate the orderly 
resolution of the defaulting counterparty; or
    (B) Where the agreement is subject by its terms to, or 
incorporates, any of the laws referenced in paragraph (2)(i)(A) of this 
definition; and
    (ii) The agreement may limit the right to accelerate, terminate, 
and close-out on a net basis all transactions under the agreement and 
to liquidate or set-off collateral promptly upon an event of default of 
the counterparty to the extent necessary for the counterparty to comply 
with the requirements of 12 CFR part 47; 12 CFR part 252, subpart I; or 
12 CFR part 382, as applicable;
* * * * *

0
3. In Sec.  23.161, add paragraph (d) to read as follows:


Sec.  23.161  Compliance dates.

* * * * *
    (d) For purposes of determining whether an uncleared swap was 
entered into prior to the applicable compliance date under this 
section, a covered swap entity may disregard amendments to the 
uncleared swap that were entered into solely to comply with the 
requirements of 12 CFR part 47; 12 CFR part 252, subpart I; or 12 CFR 
part 382, as applicable.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 19, 2018, by the 
Commission.
Robert Sidman,
Deputy Secretary of the Commission.

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

Appendix to Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers 
and Major Swap Participants--Commission Voting Summary and Chairman's 
Statement

Appendix 1--Commission Voting Summary

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

Appendix 2--Statement of Chairman J. Christopher Giancarlo

    Through the Commission's Project KISS initiative, the Commission 
received suggestions to harmonize its uncleared swap margin rule 
with that of the Prudential Regulators. In response, this final rule 
does so and provides market certainty, specifically with respect to 
amending the CFTC's definition of ``eligible master netting 
agreement'' (EMNA) and amending the CFTC Margin Rule such that any 
legacy swap will not become subject to the CFTC Margin Rule if it is 
amended solely to comply with changes adopted by the Prudential 
Regulators in 2017. The Commission recognizes that the CFTC Margin 
Rule does not provide relief for legacy swaps that might need to be 
amended to meet regulatory changes or requirements,

[[Page 60347]]

and is committed to considering other meritorious requests for 
relief.

[FR Doc. 2018-25602 Filed 11-23-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6351-01-P



                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                             60341

     www.archives.gov/federal-register/cfr/                  section of this document. FAA Order                   PART 71—DESIGNATION OF CLASS A,
     ibr-locations.html.                                     7400.11C lists Class A, B, C, D, and E                B, C, D, AND E AIRSPACE AREAS; AIR
       FAA Order 7400.11, Airspace                           airspace areas, air traffic service routes,           TRAFFIC SERVICE ROUTES; AND
     Designations and Reporting Points, is                   and reporting points.                                 REPORTING POINTS
     published yearly and effective on
     September 15.                                           The Rule                                              ■ 1. The authority citation for part 71
     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                          This amendment to Title 14 Code of                  continues to read as follows:
     Walter Tweedy, Federal Aviation                         Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 71                    Authority: 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 106(g); 40103,
     Administration, Operations Support                      modifies Class E airspace extending                   40113, 40120; E.O. 10854, 24 FR 9565, 3 CFR,
     Group, Central Service Center, 10101                    upward from 700 feet above the surface                1959–1963 Comp., p. 389.
     Hillwood Parkway, Fort Worth, TX                        within a 6.4-mile radius (increased from
                                                             a 6.3-mile radius) at Lac Qui Parle                   § 71.1       [Amended]
     76177; telephone (817) 222–5900.
     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              County Airport, Madison, MN. The                      ■ 2. The incorporation by reference in
                                                             segment 7.4 miles southeast of the                    14 CFR 71.1 of FAA Order 7400.11C,
     Authority for This Rulemaking                           airport will be removed due to the                    Airspace Designations and Reporting
        The FAA’s authority to issue rules                   decommissioning of the Madison NDB                    Points, dated August 13, 2018, and
     regarding aviation safety is found in                   and cancellation of the associated                    effective September 15, 2018, is
     Title 49 of the United States Code.                     approach. This action enhances the                    amended as follows:
     Subtitle I, Section 106 describes the                   safety and management of the standard                 Paragraph 6005 Class E Airspace Areas
     authority of the FAA Administrator.                     instrument approach procedures for IFR                Extending Upward From 700 Feet or More
     Subtitle VII, Aviation Programs,                        operations at the airport.                            Above the Surface of the Earth.
     describes in more detail the scope of the                                                                     *        *       *    *   *
                                                             Regulatory Notices and Analyses
     agency’s authority. This rulemaking is
     promulgated under the authority                            The FAA has determined that this                   AGL MN E5 Madison, MN [Amended]
     described in Subtitle VII, Part A,                      regulation only involves an established               Madison-Lac Qui Parle Airport, MN
     Subpart I, Section 40103. Under that                    body of technical regulations for which                 (Lat. 44°59′11″ N, long. 96°10′40″ W)
     section, the FAA is charged with                        frequent and routine amendments are                     That airspace extending upward from 700
     prescribing regulations to assign the use               necessary to keep them operationally                  feet above the surface within a 6.4-mile
     of airspace necessary to ensure the                     current, is non-controversial and                     radius of the Madison-Lac Qui Parle Airport,
     safety of aircraft and the efficient use of             unlikely to result in adverse or negative             MN.
     airspace. This regulation is within the                 comments. It, therefore: (1) Is not a                   Issued in Fort Worth, Texas, on November
     scope of that authority as it would                     ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ under               14, 2018.
     amend controlled airspace in Class E                    Executive Order 12866; (2) is not a                   Anthony Schneider,
     airspace, at Lac Qui Parle County                       ‘‘significant rule’’ under DOT                        Manager, Operations Support Group, ATO
     Airport, Madison, MN, to support                        Regulatory Policies and Procedures (44                Central Service Center.
     instrument flight rules (IFR) operations                FR 11034; February 26, 1979); and (3)                 [FR Doc. 2018–25576 Filed 11–23–18; 8:45 am]
     at the airport.                                         does not warrant preparation of a                     BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
                                                             regulatory evaluation as the anticipated
     History
                                                             impact is so minimal. Since this is a
        The FAA published a notice of                        routine matter that only affects air traffic          COMMODITY FUTURES TRADING
     proposed rulemaking in the Federal                      procedures and air navigation, it is                  COMMISSION
     Register (83 FR 44248; August 30, 2018)                 certified that this rule, when
     for Docket No. FAA–2018–0194 to                         promulgated, does not have a significant              17 CFR Part 23
     amend Class E airspace extending                        economic impact on a substantial
     upward from 700 feet above the surface                                                                        RIN 3038–AE71
                                                             number of small entities under the
     at Lac Qui Parle County Airport,                        criteria of the Regulatory Flexibility Act.           Margin Requirements for Uncleared
     Madison, MN. Interested parties were                                                                          Swaps for Swap Dealers and Major
     invited to participate in this rulemaking               Environmental Review
                                                                                                                   Swap Participants
     effort by submitting written comments                      The FAA has determined that this
     on the proposal to the FAA. No                          action qualifies for categorical exclusion            AGENCY:  Commodity Futures Trading
     comments were received.                                 under the National Environmental                      Commission.
        Class E airspace designations are                    Policy Act in accordance with FAA                     ACTION: Final rule.
     published in paragraph 6005 of FAA                      Order 1050.1F, ‘‘Environmental
     Order 7400.11C, dated August 13, 2018,                  Impacts: Policies and Procedures,’’                   SUMMARY:   The Commodity Futures
     and effective September 15, 2018, which                 paragraph 5–6.5.a. This airspace action               Trading Commission (‘‘Commission’’ or
     is incorporated by reference in 14 CFR                  is not expected to cause any potentially              ‘‘CFTC’’) is adopting amendments
     71.1. The Class E airspace designations                 significant environmental impacts, and                (‘‘Final Rule’’) to its margin
     listed in this document will be                         no extraordinary circumstances exist                  requirements for uncleared swaps for
     published subsequently in the Order.                    that warrant preparation of an                        swap dealers (‘‘SD’’) and major swap
                                                             environmental assessment.                             participants (‘‘MSP’’) for which there is
     Availability and Summary of                                                                                   no prudential regulator (‘‘CFTC Margin
     Documents for Incorporation by                          Lists of Subjects in 14 CFR Part 71                   Rule’’). The Commission is adopting
     Reference                                                                                                     these amendments in light of the rules
                                                               Airspace, Incorporation by reference,
       This document amends FAA Order                        Navigation (air).                                     recently adopted by the Board of
     7400.11C, Airspace Designations and                                                                           Governors of the Federal Reserve
     Reporting Points, dated August 13,                      Adoption of the Amendment                             System (‘‘Board’’), the Federal Deposit
     2018, and effective September 15, 2018.                   In consideration of the foregoing, the              Insurance Corporation (‘‘FDIC’’), and the
     FAA Order 7400.11C is publicly                          Federal Aviation Administration                       Office of the Comptroller of the
     available as listed in the ADDRESSES                    amends 14 CFR part 71 as follows:                     Currency (‘‘OCC’’) (collectively, the


VerDate Sep<11>2014   16:13 Nov 23, 2018   Jkt 247001   PO 00000   Frm 00009   Fmt 4700   Sfmt 4700   E:\FR\FM\26NOR1.SGM       26NOR1


     60342            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     ‘‘QFC Rules’’) that impose restrictions                 or MSP for which there is no Prudential                 requirements generally apply only to
     on certain uncleared swaps and                          Regulator 4 (collectively, ‘‘covered swap               uncleared swaps entered into on or after
     uncleared security-based swaps and                      entities’’ or ‘‘CSEs’’) and (ii) not cleared            the compliance date applicable to a
     other financial contracts. Specifically,                by a registered derivatives clearing                    particular CSE and its counterparty
     the Commission is amending the                          organization (‘‘uncleared swaps’’).5 To                 (‘‘covered swap’’).12 An uncleared swap
     definition of ‘‘eligible master netting                 offset the greater risk to the SD or MSP 6              entered into prior to a CSE’s applicable
     agreement’’ in the CFTC Margin Rule to                  and the financial system arising from                   compliance date for a particular
     ensure that master netting agreements of                the use of uncleared swaps, these                       counterparty (‘‘legacy swap’’) is
     firms subject to the CFTC Margin Rule                   requirements must (i) help ensure the                   generally not subject to the margin
     are not excluded from the definition of                 safety and soundness of the SD or MSP                   requirements in the CFTC Margin
     ‘‘eligible master netting agreement’’                   and (ii) be appropriate for the risk                    Rule.13
     based solely on such agreements’                        associated with the uncleared swaps                        To the extent that more than one
     compliance with the QFC Rules. The                      held as an SD or MSP.7                                  uncleared swap is executed between a
     Commission also is amending the CFTC                      To this end, the Commission                           CSE and its covered counterparty, the
     Margin Rule such that any legacy                        promulgated the CFTC Margin Rule in                     CFTC Margin Rule permits the netting
     uncleared swap (i.e., an uncleared swap                 January 2016,8 establishing                             of required margin amounts of each
     entered into before the applicable                      requirements for a CSE to collect and                   swap under certain circumstances.14 In
     compliance date of the CFTC Margin                      post initial margin 9 and variation                     particular, the CFTC Margin Rule,
     Rule) that is not now subject to the                    margin 10 for uncleared swaps. These                    subject to certain limitations, permits a
     margin requirements of the CFTC                         requirements vary based on the type of                  CSE to calculate initial margin and
     Margin Rule will not become so subject                  counterparty to such swaps.11 These                     variation margin, respectively, on an
     if it is amended solely to comply with                                                                          aggregate net basis across uncleared
     the QFC Rules. These amendments are                        4 See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(1)(B). SDs and MSPs for         swaps that are executed under the same
     consistent with amendments that the                     which there is a Prudential Regulator must meet the     eligible master netting agreement
                                                             margin requirements for uncleared swaps
     Board, FDIC, OCC, the Farm Credit                       established by the applicable Prudential Regulator.
                                                                                                                     (‘‘EMNA’’).15 Moreover, the CFTC
     Administration (‘‘FCA’’), and the                       7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(1)(A). See also 7 U.S.C. 1a(39)          Margin Rule permits swap
     Federal Housing Finance Agency                          (defining the term ‘‘Prudential Regulator’’ to          counterparties to identify one or more
     (‘‘FHFA’’ and, together with the Board,                 include the Board; the OCC; the FDIC; the FCA; and      separate netting portfolios (i.e., a
                                                             the FHFA). The definition further specifies the
     FDIC, OCC, and FCA, the ‘‘Prudential                    entities for which these agencies act as Prudential
                                                                                                                     specified group of uncleared swaps the
     Regulators’’), jointly published in the                 Regulators. The Prudential Regulators published         margin obligations of which will be
     Federal Register on October 10, 2018.                   final margin requirements in November 2015. See         netted only against each other) under
     DATES: This final rule is effective
                                                             Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered Swap        the same EMNA, including having
                                                             Entities, 80 FR 74840 (Nov. 30, 2015) (‘‘Prudential     separate netting portfolios for covered
     December 26, 2018.                                      Margin Rule’’).
     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                           5 See 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(2)(B)(ii). In Commission        swaps and legacy swaps.16 A netting
     Matthew Kulkin, Director, (202) 418–                    regulation 23.151, the Commission further defined
                                                             this statutory language to mean all swaps that are      margin from, or post margin to, a counterparty that
     5213, mkulkin@cftc.gov; Frank Fisanich,                 not cleared by a registered derivatives clearing        is neither a swap entity nor a financial end user
     Chief Counsel, (202) 418–5949,                          organization or a derivatives clearing organization     (each as defined in 17 CFR 23.151). Pursuant to
     ffisanich@cftc.gov; or Jacob Chachkin,                  that the Commission has exempted from                   section 2(e) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 2(e), each
                                                             registration as provided under the CEA. 17 CFR          counterparty to an uncleared swap must be an
     Special Counsel, (202) 418–5496,                                                                                eligible contract participant (‘‘ECP’’), as defined in
                                                             23.151.
     jchachkin@cftc.gov, Division of Swap                       6 For the definitions of SD and MSP, see section     section 1a(18) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 1a(18).
     Dealer and Intermediary Oversight,                      1a of the CEA and Commission regulation 1.3. 7
                                                                                                                        12 Pursuant to Commission regulation 23.161,

     Commodity Futures Trading                               U.S.C. 1a and 17 CFR 1.3.                               compliance dates for the CFTC Margin Rule are
                                                                                                                     staggered such that SDs must come into compliance
     Commission, Three Lafayette Centre,                        7 7 U.S.C. 6s(e)(3)(A).
                                                                                                                     in a series of phases over four years. The first phase
                                                                8 Margin Requirements for Uncleared Swaps for
     1155 21st Street NW, Washington, DC                                                                             affected SDs and their counterparties, each with the
                                                             Swap Dealers and Major Swap Participants, 81 FR
     20581.                                                  636 (Jan. 6, 2016). The CFTC Margin Rule, which
                                                                                                                     largest aggregate outstanding notional amounts of
                                                                                                                     uncleared swaps and certain other financial
     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              became effective April 1, 2016, is codified in part     products. These SDs began complying with both the
                                                             23 of the Commission’s regulations. 17 CFR 23.150–      initial and variation margin requirements of the
     I. Background                                           23.159, 23.161.                                         CFTC Margin Rule on September 1, 2016. The
                                                                9 Initial margin, as defined in Commission
                                                                                                                     second phase began March 1, 2017, and required
     A. The CFTC Margin Rule                                 regulation 23.151 (17 CFR 23.151), is the collateral    SDs to comply with the variation margin
       Section 731 of the Wall Street Reform                 (calculated as provided by § 23.154 of the              requirements of Commission regulation 23.153 with
                                                             Commission’s regulations) that is collected or          all relevant counterparties not covered in the first
     and Consumer Protection Act (‘‘Dodd-                    posted in connection with one or more uncleared         phase. See 17 CFR 23.161. On each September 1
     Frank Act’’) 1 added a new section 4s to                swaps. Initial margin is intended to secure potential   thereafter ending with September 1, 2020, SDs will
     the Commodity Exchange Act (‘‘CEA’’) 2                  future exposure following default of a counterparty     begin to comply with the initial margin
     setting forth various requirements for                  (i.e., adverse changes in the value of an uncleared     requirements with counterparties with successively
                                                             swap that may arise during the period of time when      lesser outstanding notional amounts.
     SDs and MSPs. Section 4s(e) of the CEA                  it is being closed out), while variation margin is         13 See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and
     directs the Commission to adopt rules                   provided from one counterparty to the other in          Commission regulation 23.161. 17 CFR 23.161.
     establishing minimum initial and                        consideration of changes that have occurred in the         14 See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and

     variation margin requirements on all                    mark-to-market value of the uncleared swap. See         Commission regulations 23.152(c) and 23.153(d). 17
                                                             CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 664 and 683.                 CFR 23.152(c) and 23.153(d).
     swaps 3 that are (i) entered into by an SD                 10 Variation margin, as defined in Commission           15 Id. The term EMNA is defined in Commission
                                                             regulation 23.151 (17 CFR 23.151), is the collateral    regulation 23.151. 17 CFR 23.151. Generally, an
       1 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
                                                             provided by a party to its counterparty to meet the     EMNA creates a single legal obligation for all
     Protection Act, Public Law 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376      performance of its obligation under one or more         individual transactions covered by the agreement
     (2010).                                                 uncleared swaps between the parties as a result of      upon an event of default following certain specified
       2 7 U.S.C. 1 et seq.                                  a change in the value of such obligations since the     permitted stays. For example, an International
       3 For the definition of swap, see section 1a(47) of   trade was executed or the last time such collateral     Swaps and Derivatives Association (‘‘ISDA’’) form
     the CEA and Commission regulation 1.3. 7 U.S.C.         was provided.                                           Master Agreement may be an EMNA, if it meets the
     1a(47) and 17 CFR 1.3. It includes, among other            11 See Commission regulations 23.152 and 23.153,     specified requirements in the EMNA definition.
     things, an interest rate swap, commodity swap,          17 CFR 23.152 and 23.153. For example, the CFTC            16 See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and

     credit default swap, and currency swap.                 Margin Rule does not require a CSE to collect           Commission regulations 23.152(c)(2)(ii) and



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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                                        60343

     portfolio that contains only legacy                      subsidiaries of U.S. GSIBs, and certain                    This is to ensure that if an affiliate of a
     swaps is not subject to the initial and                  other very large OCC-supervised                            solvent Covered QFC Entity fails, the
     variation margin requirements set out in                 national banks and Federal savings                         counterparties of that solvent Covered
     the CFTC Margin Rule.17 However, if a                    associations (collectively, ‘‘Covered                      QFC Entity cannot terminate their
     netting portfolio contains any covered                   QFC Entities’’).22 They are designed to                    contracts with it based solely on the
     swaps, the entire netting portfolio                      help ensure that a failed company’s                        failure of its affiliate.28
     (including all legacy swaps) is subject to               passage through a resolution
     such requirements.18                                     proceeding—such as bankruptcy or the                          Covered QFC Entities are required to
        A legacy swap may lose its legacy                     special resolution process created by the                  enter into amendments to certain pre-
     treatment under the CFTC Margin Rule,                    Dodd-Frank Act—would be more                               existing Covered QFCs to explicitly
     causing it to become a covered swap                      orderly, thereby helping to mitigate                       provide for these requirements and to
     and causing any netting portfolio in                     destabilizing effects on the rest of the                   ensure that Covered QFCs entered into
     which it is included to be subject to the                financial system.23 Two aspects of the                     after the applicable compliance date for
     requirements of the CFTC Margin Rule.                    QFC Rules help achieve this goal.24                        the rule explicitly provide for the
     For reasons discussed in the CFTC                           First, the QFC Rules generally require                  same.29
     Margin Rule, the Commission elected                      the Covered QFCs of Covered QFC
     not to extend the meaning of legacy                                                                                 C. Interaction of CFTC Margin Rule and
                                                              Entities to contain contractual
     swaps to include (1) legacy swaps that                                                                              QFC Rules
                                                              provisions explicitly providing that any
     are amended in a material or                             default rights or restrictions on the                         As noted above, the current definition
     nonmaterial manner; (2) novations of                     transfer of the Covered QFC are limited                    of EMNA in Commission regulation
     legacy swaps; and (3) new swaps that                     to the same extent as they would be                        23.151 allows for certain specified
     result from portfolio compression of                     pursuant to the Federal Deposit                            permissible stays of default rights of the
     legacy swaps.19 Therefore, and as                        Insurance Act (‘‘FDI Act’’)25 and Title II                 CSE. Specifically, consistent with the
     relevant here, a legacy swap that is                     of the Dodd-Frank Act. Requiring these
     amended after the applicable                                                                                        QFC Rules, the current definition
                                                              points to be stated as explicit
     compliance date may become a covered                                                                                provides that such rights may be stayed
                                                              contractual provisions in the Covered
     swap subject to the initial and variation                                                                           pursuant to a special resolution regime
                                                              QFCs is expected to reduce the risk that
     margin requirements in the CFTC                                                                                     such as Title II of the Dodd-Frank Act,
                                                              the relevant limitations on default rights
     Margin Rule. In that case, netting                                                                                  the FDI Act, and substantially similar
                                                              or transfer restrictions would be
     portfolios that were intended to contain                 challenged by a court in a foreign                         foreign resolution regimes.30 However,
     only legacy swaps and, thus, not be                      jurisdiction.26                                            the current EMNA definition does not
     subject to the CFTC Margin Rule may                         Second, the QFC Rules generally                         explicitly recognize certain restrictions
     become so subject.                                       prohibit Covered QFCs from allowing                        on the exercise of a CSE’s cross-default
                                                              counterparties to Covered QFC Entities                     rights required under the QFC Rules.31
     B. The QFC Rules                                                                                                    Therefore, a pre-existing EMNA that is
                                                              to exercise default rights related,
        In late 2017, as part of the broader                  directly or indirectly, to the entry into                  amended in order to become compliant
     regulatory reform effort following the                   resolution of an affiliate of the Covered                  with the QFC Rules or a new master
     financial crisis to promote U.S. financial               QFC Entity (‘‘cross-default rights’’).27                   netting agreement that conforms to the
     stability and increase the resolvability                                                                            QFC Rules will not meet the current
     and resiliency of U.S. global                               22 See, e.g., 12 CFR 252.82(c) (defining Covered
                                                                                                                         definition of EMNA, and a CSE that is
     systemically important banking                           QFC). See also 82 FR 42882 (Sep. 12, 2017) (for the        a counterparty under such a master
     institutions (‘‘U.S. GSIBs’’) 20 and the                 Board’s QFC Rule). See also 82 FR 50228 (Oct. 30,
                                                              2017) (for FDIC’s QFC Rule). See also 82 FR 56630          netting agreement—one that does not
     U.S. operations of foreign global                        (Nov. 29, 2017) (for the OCC’s QFC Rule). The              meet the definition of EMNA—would be
     systemically important banking                           effective date of the Board’s QFC Rule is November         required to measure its exposures from
     institutions (together with U.S. GSIBS,                  13, 2017, and the effective date for the OCC’s QFC
                                                                                                                         covered swaps on a gross basis, rather
     ‘‘GSIBs’’), the Board, FDIC, and OCC                     Rule and the substance of the FDIC’s QFC Rule is
                                                              January 1, 2018. The QFC Rules include a phased-           than aggregate net basis, for purposes of
     adopted the QFC Rules. The QFC Rules                     in conformance period for a Covered QFC Entity,            the CFTC Margin Rule.32 Further, if a
     establish restrictions on and                            beginning on January 1, 2019 and ending on                 legacy swap were amended to comply
     requirements for uncleared qualified                     January 1, 2020, that varies depending upon the
     financial contracts 21 (collectively,                    counterparty type of the Covered QFC Entity. See,
                                                              e.g., 12 CFR 252.82(f).                                    QFCs that would restrict the transfer of a credit
     ‘‘Covered QFCs’’) of GSIBs, the                             23 See, e.g., Board’s QFC Rule at 42883. In             enhancement supporting the Covered QFC from the
                                                              particular, the QFC Rules seek to facilitate the           Covered QFC Entity’s affiliate to a transferee upon
     23.153(d)(2)(ii). 17 CFR 23.152(c)(2)(ii) and            orderly resolution of a failed GSIB by limiting the        the entry into resolution of the affiliate. See, e.g.,
     23.153(d)(2)(ii).                                        ability of the firm’s Covered QFC counterparties to        Board’s QFC Rule at 42890 and 12 CFR 252.84(b)(2).
       17 Id.                                                 terminate such contracts immediately upon entry of            28 Id.
       18 Id.                                                 the GSIB or one of its affiliates into resolution.            29 See, e.g., 12 CFR 252.82(a) and (c). The QFC
       19 See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 675. The             Given the large volume of QFCs to which covered            Rules require a Covered QFC Entity to conform
     Commission notes that certain limited relief has         entities are a party, the exercise of default rights en    Covered QFCs (i) entered into, executed, or to
     been given from this standard. See CFTC Staff            masse as a result of the failure or significant distress   which it otherwise becomes a party on or after
     Letter No. 17–52 (Oct. 27. 2017), available at http://   of a covered entity could lead to failure and a            January 1, 2019 or (ii) entered into, executed, or to
     www.cftc.gov/ucm/groups/public/@lrlettergeneral/         disorderly resolution if the failed firm were forced       which it otherwise became a party before January
     documents/letter/17-52.pdf.                              to sell off assets, which could spread contagion by        1, 2019, if the Covered QFC Entity or any affiliate
       20 See 12 CFR 217.402 (defining global                 increasing volatility and lowering the value of            that is a Covered QFC Entity also enters, executes,
     systemically important banking institution).             similar assets held by other firms, or to withdraw         or otherwise becomes a party to a new Covered QFC
       21 Qualified financial contract (‘‘QFC’’) is defined   liquidity that it had provided to other firms.             with the counterparty to the pre-existing Covered
                                                                 24 Id.                                                  QFC or a consolidated affiliate of the counterparty
     in section 210(c)(8)(D) of the Dodd-Frank Act to
     mean any securities contract, commodity contract,
                                                                 25 12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.                               on or after January 1, 2019.
                                                                 26 See, e.g., Board’s QFC Rule at 42883 and 42890          30 17 CFR 23.151.
     forward contract, repurchase agreement, swap
     agreement, and any similar agreement that the FDIC       and 12 CFR 252.83(b).                                         31 Id.

     determines by regulation, resolution, or order to be        27 See, e.g., Board’s QFC Rule at 42883 and 12             32 See CFTC Margin Rule, 81 FR at 651 and

     a qualified financial contract. 12 U.S.C.                CFR 252.84(b). Covered QFC Entities are similarly          Commission regulations 23.152(c) and 23.153(d). 17
     5390(c)(8)(D).                                           generally prohibited from entering into Covered            CFR 23.152(c) and 23.153(d).



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     60344            Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     with the QFC Rules,33 it would become                   were generally supportive of the aims of              23.161, as shown in the rule text in this
     a covered swap subject to initial and                   the Proposal.                                         document. This addition will provide
     variation margin requirements under the                    Navient and NEX were supportive of                 certainty to a CSE and its counterparties
     CFTC Margin Rule.34                                     the Commission’s Proposal in full. ISDA               about the treatment of legacy swaps and
                                                             was supportive of the Commission’s                    any applicable netting arrangements in
     II. Proposal                                            proposal to revise the definition of                  light of the QFC Rules. However, if, in
        On May 23, 2018, the Commission                      EMNA. IIB did not comment on this                     addition to amendments required to
     published a Notice of Proposed                          aspect of the Proposal. ISDA and IIB                  comply with the QFC Rules, the parties
     Rulemaking (‘‘Proposal’’) 35 to amend                   were appreciative of the proposal on the              enter into any other amendments, the
     Commission regulations 23.151 and                       treatment of legacy swaps impacted by                 amended legacy swap will be a covered
     23.161 to protect CSEs and their                        the QFC Rules, but, on balance, thought               swap in accordance with the application
     counterparties from being                               broad guidance on the treatment of                    of the CFTC Margin Rule.
     disadvantaged because their master                      amendments to legacy swaps more                          This Final Rule is consistent with
     netting agreements do not satisfy the                   generally was a better alternative to the             amendments to the Prudential Margin
     definition of an EMNA, solely because                   proposed limited amendment of the                     Rule that the Prudential Regulators
     such agreements’ comply with the QFC                    CFTC Margin Rule relating to the QFC                  jointly published in the Federal
     Rules or because such agreements                        Rules. Such broad guidance requested                  Register on October 10, 2018.38 Making
     would have to be amended to achieve                     by ISDA and IIB is outside of the scope               amendments to the CFTC Margin Rule
     compliance. Specifically, the                           of the Proposal.                                      that are consistent with those of the
     Commission proposed to (i) revise the                                                                         Prudential Regulators furthers the
     definition of EMNA in Commission                        IV. Final Rule
                                                                                                                   Commission’s efforts to harmonize its
     regulation 23.151 such that a master                       After consideration of relevant                    margin regime with the Prudential
     netting agreement that meets the                        comments, the Commission is adopting                  Regulators’ margin regime and is
     requirements of the QFC Rules may be                    this Final Rule as proposed.                          responsive to suggestions received as
     an EMNA and (ii) amend Commission                          Accordingly, the Commission is                     part of the Commission’s Project KISS
     regulation 23.161 such that a legacy                    adding a new paragraph (2)(ii) to the                 initiative.39
     swap will not be a covered swap under                   definition of ‘‘eligible master netting
     the CFTC Margin Rule if it is amended                   agreement’’ in Commission regulation                  V. Related Matters
     solely to conform to the QFC Rules.                     23.151 and making other minor related                 A. Regulatory Flexibility Act
        The Commission requested comments                    changes to that definition such that a
                                                             master netting agreement may be an                       The Regulatory Flexibility Act
     on the Proposal and also solicited
                                                             EMNA even though the agreement                        (‘‘RFA’’) requires Federal agencies, in
     comments on the impact of the Proposal                                                                        promulgating regulations, to consider
     on small entities, the Commission’s cost                limits the right to accelerate, terminate,
                                                             and close-out on a net basis all                      whether the rules they propose will
     benefit considerations, and any anti-                                                                         have a significant economic impact on
     competitive effects of the Proposal. The                transactions under the agreement and to
                                                             liquidate or set-off collateral promptly              a substantial number of small entities
     comment period for the Proposal ended                                                                         and, if so, to provide a regulatory
     on July 23, 2018.                                       upon an event of default of the
                                                             counterparty to the extent necessary for              flexibility analysis regarding the
     III. Summary of Comments                                the counterparty to comply with the                   economic impact on those entities. In
        The Commission received four                         requirements of any of the following                  the Proposal, the Commission certified
     relevant comments in response to the                    parts of Title 12 of the Code of Federal              that the Proposal would not have a
     Proposal—from the Institute of                          Regulations: Part 47, subpart I of part               significant economic impact on a
                                                             252, or part 382, as applicable. These                substantial number of small entities.
     International Bankers (‘‘IIB’’), ISDA,
                                                             enumerated provisions contain the                     The Commission requested comments
     Navient Corporation (‘‘Navient’’), and
                                                             relevant requirements that have been                  with respect to the RFA and received no
     NEX Group plc (‘‘NEX’’), respectively.36
                                                             added by the QFC Rules.                               such comments.
     Though these comments raised issues                                                                              As discussed in the Proposal, this
     unrelated to the Proposal or suggested                     Further, so that a legacy swap will not
                                                             be a covered swap under the CFTC                      Final Rule only affects certain SDs and
     additions that would go beyond the
     scope of the Proposal,37 the comments                   Margin Rule if it is amended solely to                   38 Margin and Capital Requirements for Covered
                                                             conform to the QFC Rules, the                         Swap Entities; Final Rule, 83 FR 50805 (Oct. 10,
        33 Covered QFC Entities must conform to the          Commission is adding a new paragraph                  2018).
     requirements of the QFC Rules for Covered QFCs          (d) to the end of Commission regulation                  39 See Project KISS Initiatives, available at https://

     entered into on or after January 1, 2019 and, in                                                              comments.cftc.gov/KISS/KissInitiative.aspx. The
     some instances, Covered QFCs entered into before                                                              Commission received requests to coordinate
     that date.33 To do so, a Covered QFC Entity may         status for legacy swaps which are compressed in a     revisions to the CFTC Margin Rule with the
     need to amend the contractual provisions of its pre-    multilateral portfolio compression exercise. ISDA     Prudential Regulators. See comments from Credit
                                                             and IIB requested the Commission, in conjunction      Suisse (‘‘CS’’), the Financial Services Roundtable
     existing Covered QFCs.
        34 Note, therefore, that such amendment would
                                                             with the Prudential Regulators, more generally        (‘‘FSR’’), ISDA, the Managed Funds Association
                                                             provide broad guidance on amendments to legacy        (‘‘MFA’’), and SIFMA Global Foreign Exchange
     affect all parties to the legacy swap, not only the     swaps, including that amendments required by
     Covered QFC Entity subject to the QFC Rules.                                                                  Division (‘‘GFMA’’). GFMA requested that the
                                                             domestic or foreign regulatory or legislative         Commission coordinate with the Prudential
        35 83 FR 23842 (May 23, 2018).
                                                             developments (e.g., reforms of benchmark interest     Regulators on proposing or making any changes to
        36 The Commission also received one comment
                                                             rates) will not cause them to become covered          the CFTC Margin Rule to ensure harmonization and
     that was not relevant to the Proposal. All of the       swaps. These requests for additional changes and      consistency across the respective rule sets. In
     comments are available at https://                      exemptions to the CFTC Margin Rule are outside of     addition, CS, FSR, ISDA, and MFA, as well as
     comments.cftc.gov/PublicComments/                       the scope of the Proposal, as the Proposal relates    GFMA requested that the Commission make certain
     CommentList.aspx?id=2878.                               solely to changes to the CFTC Margin Rule in          specific changes to the CFTC Margin Rule in
        37 Navient requested relief from covered swap        relation to the requirements of the QFC Rules.        coordination with the Prudential Regulators relating
     status arising from certain amendments to legacy        However, as the Commission continues to assess        to, for example, initial margin calculations and
     swaps involving special purpose vehicles created        industry developments such as interest rate           requirements, margin settlement timeframes,
     for securitization purposes (‘‘Securitization SPVs’’)   benchmark reform, it will take into account any       netting product sets, inter-affiliate margin
     and more generally requested an exemption from          associated implementation ramifications               exemptions, and cross-border margin issues. Project
     the CFTC Margin Rule for certain Securitization         surrounding the treatment of legacy swaps under       KISS suggestions are available at https://
     SPVs. NEX requested relief from covered swap            the CFTC Margin Rule.                                 comments.cftc.gov/KISS/KissInitiative.aspx.



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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                          60345

     MSPs that are subject to the QFC Rules                  such agreements’ comply with the QFC                    gross basis for purposes of the CFTC
     and their covered counterparties, all of                Rules or because such agreements                        Margin Rule. In addition, this Final Rule
     which are required to be ECPs.40 The                    would have to be amended to achieve                     allows legacy swaps to maintain their
     Commission has previously determined                    compliance. It revises the definition of                legacy status, notwithstanding that they
     that SDs, MSPs, and ECPs are not small                  EMNA such that a master netting                         are amended to comply with the QFC
     entities for purposes of the RFA.41                     agreement that meets the requirements                   Rules. Otherwise, such swaps would
     Therefore, the Commission finds that                    of the QFC Rules may be an EMNA and                     become covered swaps subject to initial
     this Final Rule will not have a                         provides that an amendment to a legacy                  and variation margin requirements
     significant economic impact on a                        swap solely to conform to the QFC                       under the CFTC Margin Rule. This Final
     substantial number of small entities, as                Rules will not cause that swap to be a                  Rule provides certainty to CSEs and
     defined in the RFA.                                     covered swap under the CFTC Margin                      their counterparties about the treatment
       Accordingly, the Chairman, on behalf                  Rule.                                                   of legacy swaps and any applicable
     of the Commission, hereby certifies                        The Commission notes that the                        netting arrangements in light of the QFC
     pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 605(b) that this                   consideration of costs and benefits                     Rules.
     Final Rule will not have a significant                  below is based on the understanding
     economic impact on a substantial                        that the markets function                               2. Costs
     number of small entities.                               internationally, with many transactions                    Because this Final Rule (i) will solely
                                                             involving United States firms taking                    expand the definition of EMNA to
     B. Paperwork Reduction Act
                                                             place across international boundaries;                  potentially include those master netting
        The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995                  with some Commission registrants being                  agreements that meet the requirements
     (‘‘PRA’’) 42 imposes certain                            organized outside of the United States;                 of the QFC Rules and allow the
     requirements on Federal agencies,                       with leading industry members                           amendment of legacy swaps solely to
     including the Commission, in                            typically conducting operations both                    conform to the QFC Rules without
     connection with their conducting or                     within and outside the United States;                   causing such swaps to become covered
     sponsoring any collection of                            and with industry members commonly                      swaps and (ii) does not require market
     information, as defined by the PRA. The                 following substantially similar business                participants to take any action to benefit
     Commission may not conduct or                           practices wherever located. Where the                   from these changes, the Commission
     sponsor, and a person is not required to                Commission does not specifically refer                  believes that this Final Rule will not
     respond to, a collection of information                 to matters of location, the below                       impose any additional costs on market
     unless it displays a currently valid                    discussion of costs and benefits refers to              participants.
     Office of Management and Budget                         the effects of this Final Rule on all
     control number. As discussed in the                     activity subject to it, whether by virtue               3. Section 15(a) Considerations
     Proposal, this Final Rule contains no                   of the activity’s physical location in the                 In light of the foregoing, the CFTC has
     requirements subject to the PRA.                        United States or by virtue of the                       evaluated the costs and benefits of this
     C. Cost-Benefit Considerations                          activity’s connection with or effect on                 Final Rule pursuant to the five
                                                             United States commerce under CEA                        considerations identified in section
       The Commission received no                            section 2(i).43 In particular, the                      15(a) of the CEA as follows:
     comments with regard to its preliminary                 Commission notes that some persons
     cost-benefit considerations in the                                                                              (a) Protection of Market Participants and
                                                             affected by this rulemaking are located
     Proposal. Section 15(a) of the CEA                                                                              the Public
                                                             outside of the United States.
     requires the Commission to consider the                    The baseline against which the                          As noted above, this Final Rule will
     costs and benefits of its actions before                benefits and costs associated with this                 protect market participants by allowing
     promulgating a regulation under the                     Final Rule is compared is the uncleared                 them to comply with the QFC Rules
     CEA. Section 15(a) further specifies that               swaps markets as they exist today, with                 without being disadvantaged under the
     the costs and benefits shall be evaluated               the QFC Rules in effect.44 With this as                 CFTC Margin Rule. This Final Rule will
     in light of the following five broad areas              the baseline for this Final Rule, the                   facilitate market participants’ use of
     of market and public concern: (1)                       following are the benefits and costs of                 swaps that would be affected by this
     Protection of market participants and                   this Proposal.                                          Final Rule to hedge. Without this Final
     the public; (2) efficiency,                                                                                     Rule, posting gross margin instead of net
     competitiveness, and financial integrity                1. Benefits
                                                                                                                     margin for those swaps would be
     of futures markets; (3) price discovery;                   As described above, this Final Rule                  required, which would raise transaction
     (4) sound risk management practices;                    will allow parties whose master netting                 costs and thus likely reduce the use of
     and (5) other public interest                           agreements satisfy the proposed revised                 such swaps for hedging.
     considerations. The Commission                          definition of EMNA to continue to
     considers the costs and benefits                        calculate initial margin and variation                  (b) Efficiency, Competitiveness, and
     resulting from its discretionary                        margin, respectively, on an aggregate net               Financial Integrity of Markets
     determinations with respect to the                      basis across uncleared swaps that are                     This Final Rule will make the
     section 15(a) considerations.                           executed under that EMNA. Otherwise,                    uncleared swap markets more efficient
       This Final Rule prevents certain CSEs                 a CSE that is a counterparty under a                    by allowing net margining of swap
     and their counterparties from being                     master netting agreement that complies                  portfolios under master netting
     disadvantaged because their master                      with the QFC Rules and, thus, does not                  agreements that comply with the QFC
     netting agreements do not satisfy the                   satisfy the current definition of EMNA,                 Rules and, thus, do not satisfy the
     definition of an EMNA, solely because                   would be required to measure its                        current EMNA definition instead of
                                                             exposures from covered swaps on a                       requiring the payment of gross margin
       40 See supra, n.12.                                                                                           under such agreements. Also, absent
       41 See Registration of Swap Dealers and Major           43 7U.S.C. 2(i).                                      this Final Rule, market participants that
     Swap Participants, 77 FR 2613, 2620 (Jan. 19, 2012)       44 Although, as described above, the QFC Rules
     (SDs and MSPs) and Opting Out of Segregation, 66        will be gradually phased in, for purposes of the cost
                                                                                                                     are required to amend their EMNAs to
     FR 20740, 20743 (April 25, 2001) (ECPs).                benefit considerations, we assume that the affected     comply with the QFC Rules and,
       42 44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.                             CSEs are in compliance with the QFC Rules.              thereafter, required to measure their


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     60346              Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations

     exposure on a gross basis and to post                        Because the Commission has                             (B) Where the agreement is subject by
     margin on their legacy swaps, would be                     preliminarily determined that this Final              its terms to, or incorporates, any of the
     placed at a competitive disadvantage as                    Rule is not anticompetitive and has no                laws referenced in paragraph (2)(i)(A) of
     compared to those market participants                      anticompetitive effects and received no               this definition; and
     that are not so required to amend their                    comments on its determination, the                       (ii) The agreement may limit the right
     EMNAs. Therefore, this Final Rule may                      Commission has not identified any less                to accelerate, terminate, and close-out
     increase the competitiveness of the                        anticompetitive means of achieving the                on a net basis all transactions under the
     uncleared swaps markets. In addition,                      purposes of the CEA.                                  agreement and to liquidate or set-off
     this Final Rule furthers the                                                                                     collateral promptly upon an event of
                                                                List of Subjects in 17 CFR Part 23
     Commission’s efforts to harmonize its                                                                            default of the counterparty to the extent
     margin regime with the Prudential                            Capital and margin requirements,
                                                                                                                      necessary for the counterparty to
     Regulators’ margin regime, and therefore                   Major swap participants, Swap dealers,
                                                                                                                      comply with the requirements of 12 CFR
     may improve the efficiency,                                Swaps.
                                                                                                                      part 47; 12 CFR part 252, subpart I; or
     competitiveness, and financial integrity                     For the reasons stated in the                       12 CFR part 382, as applicable;
     of markets.                                                preamble, the Commodity Futures
                                                                                                                      *       *    *     *    *
     (c) Price Discovery                                        Trading Commission amends 17 CFR
                                                                part 23 as follows:                                   ■ 3. In § 23.161, add paragraph (d) to
        This Final Rule permits the payment                                                                           read as follows:
     of net margin instead of gross margin on                   PART 23—SWAP DEALERS AND
     portfolios of swaps affected by this Final                 MAJOR SWAP PARTICIPANTS                               § 23.161   Compliance dates.
     Rule, which would reduce margining                                                                               *     *     *     *    *
     costs to those swaps transactions.                         ■ 1. The authority citation for part 23
                                                                continues to read as follows:                           (d) For purposes of determining
     Reducing the cost to transact these
                                                                                                                      whether an uncleared swap was entered
     swaps, might lead to more trading,                           Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1a, 2, 6, 6a, 6b, 6b–           into prior to the applicable compliance
     which could potentially improve                            1,6c, 6p, 6r, 6s, 6t, 9, 9a, 12, 12a, 13b, 13c,
                                                                16a, 18, 19, 21.
                                                                                                                      date under this section, a covered swap
     liquidity and benefit price discovery.
                                                                  Section 23.160 also issued under 7 U.S.C.           entity may disregard amendments to the
     (d) Sound Risk Management                                  2(i); Sec. 721(b), Pub. L. 111–203, 124 Stat.         uncleared swap that were entered into
       This Final Rule prevents the payment                     1641 (2010).                                          solely to comply with the requirements
     of gross margin on swaps affected by                                                                             of 12 CFR part 47; 12 CFR part 252,
                                                                ■ 2. In § 23.151, revise paragraph (2) in
     this Final Rule, which does not reflect                                                                          subpart I; or 12 CFR part 382, as
                                                                the definition of Eligible master netting
     true economic counterparty credit risk                                                                           applicable.
                                                                agreement to read as follows:
     for swap portfolios transacted with                                                                                Issued in Washington, DC, on November
     counterparties. Therefore, this Final                      § 23.151 Definitions applicable to margin             19, 2018, by the Commission.
                                                                requirements.
     Rule supports sound risk management.                                                                             Robert Sidman,
                                                                *     *      *    *     *                             Deputy Secretary of the Commission.
     (e) Other Public Interest Considerations                     Eligible master netting agreement
        The Commission has not identified an                    * * *                                                   Note: The following appendix will not
     impact on other public interest                              (2) The agreement provides the                      appear in the Code of Federal Regulations.
     considerations as a result of this Final                   covered swap entity the right to
     Rule.                                                      accelerate, terminate, and close-out on a             Appendix to Margin Requirements for
                                                                net basis all transactions under the                  Uncleared Swaps for Swap Dealers and
     D. Antitrust Laws                                          agreement and to liquidate or set-off                 Major Swap Participants—Commission
        Section 15(b) of the CEA requires the                   collateral promptly upon an event of                  Voting Summary and Chairman’s
     Commission to take into consideration                      default, including upon an event of                   Statement
     the public interest to be protected by the                 receivership, conservatorship,                        Appendix 1—Commission Voting Summary
     antitrust laws and endeavor to take the                    insolvency, liquidation, or similar
     least anticompetitive means of                             proceeding, of the counterparty,                        On this matter, Chairman Giancarlo, and
                                                                                                                      Commissioners Quintenz, Behnam, Stump,
     achieving the purposes of the CEA, in                      provided that, in any such case,
                                                                                                                      and Berkovitz voted in the affirmative. No
     issuing any order or adopting any                            (i) Any exercise of rights under the
                                                                                                                      Commissioner voted in the negative.
     Commission rule or regulation.45 The                       agreement will not be stayed or avoided
     Commission believes that the public                        under applicable law in the relevant                  Appendix 2—Statement of Chairman J.
     interest to be protected by the antitrust                  jurisdictions, other than:                            Christopher Giancarlo
     laws is generally to protect competition.                    (A) In receivership, conservatorship,                  Through the Commission’s Project KISS
     The Commission requested and did not                       or resolution under the Federal Deposit               initiative, the Commission received
     receive any comments on whether the                        Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1811 et seq.),               suggestions to harmonize its uncleared swap
     Proposal implicated any other specific                     Title II of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street                margin rule with that of the Prudential
     public interest to be protected by the                     Reform and Consumer Protection Act                    Regulators. In response, this final rule does
     antitrust laws.                                            (12 U.S.C. 5381 et seq.), the Federal                 so and provides market certainty, specifically
        The Commission has considered this                      Housing Enterprises Financial Safety                  with respect to amending the CFTC’s
                                                                and Soundness Act of 1992, as amended                 definition of ‘‘eligible master netting
     Final Rule to determine whether it is
                                                                                                                      agreement’’ (EMNA) and amending the CFTC
     anticompetitive and has preliminarily                      (12 U.S.C. 4617), or the Farm Credit Act
                                                                                                                      Margin Rule such that any legacy swap will
     identified no anticompetitive effects.                     of 1971, as amended (12 U.S.C. 2183                   not become subject to the CFTC Margin Rule
     The Commission requested and did not                       and 2279cc), or laws of foreign                       if it is amended solely to comply with
     receive any comments on whether the                        jurisdictions that are substantially                  changes adopted by the Prudential Regulators
     Proposal was anticompetitive and, if it                    similar to the U.S. laws referenced in                in 2017. The Commission recognizes that the
     is, what the anticompetitive effects are.                  this paragraph in order to facilitate the             CFTC Margin Rule does not provide relief for
                                                                orderly resolution of the defaulting                  legacy swaps that might need to be amended
       45 7   U.S.C. 19(b).                                     counterparty; or                                      to meet regulatory changes or requirements,



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                      Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 227 / Monday, November 26, 2018 / Rules and Regulations                                              60347

     and is committed to considering other                   published in the Federal Register on                   Operators must cap cost-based
     meritorious requests for relief.                        March 6, 2018. Order No. 841 amended                   incremental energy offers at $2,000/
     [FR Doc. 2018–25602 Filed 11–23–18; 8:45 am]            18 CFR 35.28(g) by adding a further new                MWh. The actual or expected costs
     BILLING CODE 6351–01–P                                  paragraph, which was also numbered                     underlying a resource’s cost-based
                                                             (g)(9).4 As a result, the regulatory text              incremental energy offer above $1,000/
                                                             adopted in Order No. 841 incorrectly                   MWh must be verified before that offer
     DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY                                    replaced—rather than added to—the                      can be used for purposes of calculating
                                                             regulatory text adopted in Order Nos.                  Locational Marginal Prices. If a resource
     Federal Energy Regulatory                               831 and 831–A.                                         submits an incremental energy offer
     Commission                                                 4. In this Correcting Amendment, 18                 above $1,000/MWh and the actual or
                                                             CFR 35.28(g) is corrected by restoring                 expected costs underlying that offer
     18 CFR Part 35                                          the regulatory text from Order Nos. 831                cannot be verified before the market
     [Docket Nos. RM16–5–000; RM16–5–001;                    and 831–A as new paragraph 18 CFR                      clearing process begins, that offer may
     RM16–23–000; AD16–20–000]                               35.28(g)(11). Nothing in this Correcting               not be used to calculate Locational
                                                             Amendment is intended to alter any                     Marginal Prices and the resource would
     Non-Discriminatory Open Access                          previous compliance requirements or                    be eligible for a make-whole payment if
     Transmission Tariff; Corrections                        effective dates established under Order                that resource is dispatched and the
                                                             Nos. 831, 831–A, or 841, nor does this                 resource’s actual costs are verified after-
     AGENCY:  Federal Energy Regulatory
                                                             Correcting Amendment affect any tariff                 the-fact. A resource would also be
     Commission, Department of Energy.
                                                             changes previously accepted by the                     eligible for a make-whole payment if it
     ACTION: Correcting amendment.                           Commission in compliance with these                    is dispatched and its verified cost-based
     SUMMARY:   This document corrects one                   orders.                                                incremental energy offer exceeds
     section of the regulations of the Federal                                                                      $2,000/MWh. All resources, regardless
                                                             List of Subjects in 18 CFR Part 35
     Energy Regulatory Commission, as                                                                               of type, are eligible to submit cost-based
     published in the Federal Register on                       Electric power rates, Electric utilities,           incremental energy offers in excess of
     March 6, 2018. This correction restores                 Non-discriminatory open access                         $1,000/MWh.
     regulatory text that was inadvertently                  transmission tariffs.                                  [FR Doc. 2018–25584 Filed 11–23–18; 8:45 am]
     replaced with other regulatory text                       By the Commission. Commissioner                      BILLING CODE 6717–01–P
     adopted in another, later final rule.                   McIntyre is not voting on this order.
     DATES: Effective November 26, 2018.                       Issued: November 16, 2018.
     FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:                        Kimberly D. Bose,                                      DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
     Anne Marie Hirschberger, Office of the                  Secretary.
                                                                                                                    Federal Energy Regulatory
     General Counsel, Federal Energy                           In consideration of the foregoing, 18                Commission
     Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street                 CFR part 35 is corrected by making the
     NE, Washington, DC 20426, (202) 502–                    following correcting amendments:                       18 CFR Part 40
     8387, annemarie.hirschberger@ferc.gov.
     SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:                              PART 35—FILING OF RATE                                 [Docket Nos. RM18–8–000 and RM15–11–
                                                             SCHEDULES AND TARIFFS                                  003; Order No. 851]
     I. Background
        1. On November 17, 2016, the Federal                 ■ 1. The authority citation for part 35                Geomagnetic Disturbance Reliability
     Energy Regulatory Commission                            continues to read as follows:                          Standard; Reliability Standard for
     (Commission) issued Order No. 831                                                                              Transmission System Planned
                                                               Authority: 16 U.S.C. 791a–825r, 2601–
     concerning offer caps in Regional                                                                              Performance for Geomagnetic
                                                             2645; 31 U.S.C. 9701; 42 U.S.C. 7101–7352.
     Transmission Organization (RTO) and                                                                            Disturbance Events
                                                             ■ 2. Amend § 35.28 by adding a new
     Independent System Operator (ISO)                                                                              AGENCY:  Federal Energy Regulatory
                                                             paragraph (g)(11) to read as follows:
     markets,1 which was published in the                                                                           Commission.
     Federal Register on December 5, 2016.                   § 35.28 Non-discriminatory open access                 ACTION: Final rule.
     Order No. 831 amended 18 CFR 35.28                      transmission tariff.
     by adding new paragraph (g)(9).                         *     *    *     *    *                                SUMMARY:   The Federal Energy
        2. On November 9, 2017, the                            (g) * * *                                            Regulatory Commission (Commission)
     Commission issued Order No. 831–A,2                       (11) A resource’s incremental energy                 approves Reliability Standard TPL–007–
     which was published in the Federal                      offer must be capped at the higher of                  2 (Transmission System Planned
     Register on November 16, 2017. Order                    $1,000/MWh or that resource’s cost-                    Performance for Geomagnetic
     No. 831–A further revised 18 CFR                        based incremental energy offer. For the                Disturbance Events). The North
     35.28(g)(9) regarding offer caps.                       purpose of calculating Locational                      American Electric Reliability
        3. On February 15, 2018, the                         Marginal Prices, Regional Transmission                 Corporation (NERC), the Commission-
     Commission issued Order No. 841                         Organizations and Independent System                   certified Electric Reliability
     concerning electric storage participation                                                                      Organization, submitted Reliability
     in RTO/ISO markets,3 which was                          and Independent System Operators, Order No. 841,       Standard TPL–007–2 for Commission
                                                             83 FR 9580 (Mar. 6, 2018), FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶       approval. The Commission also directs
       1 Offer Caps in Markets Operated by Regional          31,398 (2018) (cross-referenced at 162 FERC ¶          NERC to develop and submit
     Transmission Organizations and Independent              61,127).
     System Operators, Order No. 831, FERC Stats. &            4 On February 28, 2018, the Commission issued        modifications to Reliability Standard
     Regs. ¶ 31,387 (2016) (cross-referenced at 157 FERC     an Errata Notice for Order No. 841. Electric Storage   TPL–007–2: To require the development
     ¶ 61,115), order on reh’g and clarification, Order      Participation in Markets Operated by Regional          and implementation of corrective action
     No. 831–A, 82 FR 53403 (Nov. 16, 2017), FERC            Transmission Organizations and Independent
     Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,394 (2017).
                                                                                                                    plans to mitigate assessed supplemental
                                                             System Operators, Errata Notice, Docket Nos.
       2 Order No. 831–A, FERC Stats. & Regs. ¶ 31,394.
                                                             RM16–23–000, AD16–20–000 (Feb. 28, 2018).
                                                                                                                    GMD event vulnerabilities; and to
       3 Electric Storage Participation in Markets           Among other things, the Errata Notice revised 18       authorize extensions of time to
     Operated by Regional Transmission Organizations         CFR 35.28(g)(9).                                       implement corrective action plans on a


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Document Created: 2018-11-24 00:51:30
Document Modified: 2018-11-24 00:51:30
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 December 26, 2018.
ContactMatthew Kulkin, Director, (202) 418- 5213, [email protected]; Frank Fisanich, Chief Counsel, (202) 418-5949, [email protected]; or Jacob Chachkin, Special Counsel, (202) 418-5496, [email protected], Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Three Lafayette Centre, 1155 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20581.
FR Citation83 FR 60341 
RIN Number3038-AE71
CFR AssociatedCapital and Margin Requirements; Major Swap Participants; Swap Dealers and Swaps

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