CFTC Staff Letters

The Division of Clearing and Risk extended the no-action relief granted in CFTC Letter 14-27 to Eurex Clearing and its U.S. clearing members with regard to Sections 5b(a) and 2(h)(1)(A) of the Commodity Exchange Act. The time-limited no-action relief is subject to several conditions.

In extending the no-action relief granted in CFTC Letter 13-73, the Division of Clearing and Risk (“Division”) will not recommend that the Commission take enforcement action against (i) Japan Securities Clearing Corporation (“JSCC”) for failure to register as a derivatives clearing organization (“DCO”) pursuant to the requirements of Section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA”), or (ii) any qualified clearing participant of JSCC, or a parent or affiliate of such clearing participant, for failure to clear a Japanese yen-denominated interest rate swap that is required to be cleared under Section 2(h)(1)(A) of the CEA, through a registered or exempt DCO. The no-action relief is subject to several conditions.

Extension of time to furnish the 2014 annual report to the Commission.

DSIO guidance to chief compliance officers of FCMs, SDs, and MSPs on how to comply with the requirement under Commission Regulation 3.3(e) to prepare an annual report.

Subject to specific conditions, the Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight granted the operators of issuers of insurance-linked securities no-action relief, such that an operator may be exempt from registration as a commodity pool operator pursuant to Regulation 4.13(a)(3) with respect to insurance-linked securities transactions in which an issuer engages.

Extension of time-limited no-action relief for OTC Clearing Hong Kong Limited with regard to Section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act and implementing regulations thereunder.

Extension of time-limited no-action relief for Korea Exchange, Inc. with regard to Section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act and implementing regulations thereunder.

Extension of time-limited no-action relief for Clearing Corporation of India Ltd. with regard to Section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act and implementing regulations thereunder.

Extension of time-limited no-action relief for ASX Clear (Futures) Pty Limited with regard to Section 5b(a) of the Commodity Exchange Act and implementing regulations thereunder.

The Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight and the Division of Market Oversight issued time-limited no-action relief with respect to some of the recordkeeping requirements under Regulation 1.35(a). The letter extends and expands the relief provided in CFTC Staff Letter No. 14-60 by relieving CTAs from the requirement to record oral communications under Regulation 1.35(a). The letter also provides relief for market participants from the requirement to link records of oral and written communications that lead to the execution of a transaction with any particular transaction.