Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 110 /Tuesday, June 9, 1998 / Notices 31545

16See, Phlx Rule 722, Phlx Rules 1000A through

1102A and generally Phlx rules 1000 through 1072.

17 15 U.S.C. 78f.

18 15 U.S.C. 78f(b)(5).

19 15 U.S.C. 78S(b)(3)(A).

20 17 CFR 240.19b–4.

21 17 CFR 200.30–3(a)(12).

the position and exercise limits will be

12,000 contracts.

Expiration Cycles: Three months from

the March, June, September, December

cycle plus at least two additional nearterm months. LEAPs may also be traded

on the Index pursuant to Phlx Rule

1101A(b)(iii).

Exercise Style: European.

Premium Quotations: Premiums will

be expressed in terms of dollars and

fractions of dollars pursuant to Phlx

Rule 1033A. For example, a bid or offer

of 11⁄2 will represent a premium per

options contract of $150 (11⁄2 × 100).

The options will be traded pursuant

to current Phlx rules governing the

trading of index options including

provisions addressing sales practices,

floor trading procedures, position and

exercise limits, margin requirements

and trading halts and suspensions.16

The Exchange also represents that

surveillance procedures currently used

to monitor trading in index options will

be applicable to this Index. These

procedures include having complete

access to trading activity in the

underlying securities which are all

traded on Nasdaq. In addition, the

Intermarket Surveillance Group (‘‘ISG’’)

Agreement dated July 14, 1983, as

amended on January 29, 1990, will be

applicable to the trading of options on

the Index.

2. Statutory Basis

The Exchange believes that the

proposed rule change is consistent with

Section 6 of the Act 17 in general, and

in particular with Section 6(b)(5),18 in

that it is designed to promote just and

equitable principles of trade, prevent

fraudulent and manipulative acts and

practices, to foster cooperation and

coordination with persons engaged in

regulating, clearing, settling, processing

information with respect to and

facilitating transactions in securities to

remove impediments to and perfect the

mechanism of a free and open market

and a national market system, as well as

to protect investors and the public

interest by providing a hedging vehicle

for the group of 15 of the most activelytraded securities on the Nasdaq market.

B. Self-Regulatory Organization’s

Statement on Burden on Competition

The Phlx does not believe that the

proposed rule change will impose any

inappropriate burden on competition.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization’s

Statement on Comments on the

Proposed Rule Change Received from

Members, Participants or Others

No written comments were either

solicited or received.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the

Proposed Rule Change and Timing for

Commission Action

The foregoing rule change constitutes

a stated policy, practice, or

interpretation with respect to the

meaning, administration, or

enforcement of an existing rule of the

Exchange, and therefore, has become

effective pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)

of the Act 19 and paragraph (e) of Rule

19b–4 thereunder.20 At any time within

60 days of the filing of the proposed rule

change, the Commission may summarily

abrogate such rule change if it appears

to the Commission that such action is

necessary or appropriate in the public

interest, for the protection of investors,

or otherwise in furtherance of the

purposes of the Act

IV. Solicitation of Comments

Interested persons are invited to

submit written data, views and

arguments concerning the foregoing,

including whether the proposed rule

change is consistent with the Act.

Persons making written submissions

should file six copies thereof with the

Secretary, Securities and Exchange

Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20549. Copies of the

submissions, all subsequent

amendments, all written statements

with respect to the proposed rule

change that are filed with the

Commission, and all written

communications relating to the

proposed rule change between the

commission and any person, other than

those that may be withheld from the

public in accordance with the

provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be

available for inspection and copying in

the Commission’s Public Reference

Room, 450 Fifth Street, NW,

Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such

filing will also be available for

inspection and copying at the principal

office of the Phlx. All submissions

should refer to File No. SR–Phlx–98–21

and should be submitted by June 30,

1998.

For the Commission by the Division of

Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated

authority.21

Margaret H. McFarland,

Deputy Secretary.

[FR Doc. 98–15278 Filed 6–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 8010–01–M

SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

Agency Information Collection

Activities; Request for Emergency

Review by the Office of Management

and Budget

The Social Security Administration

publishes a list of information collection

packages that will require clearance by

OMB in compliance with P.L. 104–13

effective October 1, 1995, The

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. The

information collection listed below has

been submitted to OMB for emergency

clearance. OMB approval has been

requested by June 18, 1998: 0960–NEW.

Survey of Widows(ers) Eligible for

Higher Retirement Benefits. The Social

Security Administration will survey a

sample of widow(er) beneficiaries over

the age of 70 to determine whether they

would file for the higher retirement

benefit for which they appear eligible, if

the opportunity to file for this benefit

was explained in a person contact. Two

attempts to contact the beneficiaries by

letter have already been made, but the

beneficiaries have not filed for the

additional benefits, which could be a

substantial increase. The information

collected from this sample population

will provide the empirical basis for

reaching a decision regarding whether

some or all of the approximately 23,000

beneficiaries in the entire population

should be personally contacted. The

respondents are a sample of over age 70

SSA title II beneficiaries who are

eligible to receive a higher retirement

benefit.

Number of Respondents: 390.

Frequencey of Response: 1.

Average Burden Per Response: 10

Minutes.

Estimated Annual Burden: 65 hours.

To receive a copy of the form or

clearance packages, call the SSA

Reports Clearance Officer on (410) 965–

4145 or write to him at the address

listed below. Written comments and

recommendations regarding the

information collection (s) should be

directed to the OMB Desk Officer and

SSA Reports Clearance Officer at the

following addresses:

(OMB) Office of Management and

Budget, OIRA, Attn: Laura Oliven,

New Executive Office Building, Room

10230, 725 17th St., NW, Washington,

DC 20503

(SSA) Social Security Administration,

DCFAM, Attn: Frederick W.
31546 Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 110 /Tuesday, June 9, 1998 / Notices

Brickenkamp, 6401 Security Blvd, 1–

A–21 Operations Bldg., Baltimore,

MD 21235.

Dated: June 3, 1998.

Frederick W. Brickenkamp,

Reports Clearance Officer, Social Security

Administration.

[FR Doc. 98–15298 Filed 6–8–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4190–29–M

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice No. 2836]

United States International

Telecommunications Advisory

Committee; Radiocommunication

Sector; Study Group 4—Fixed Satellite

Service; Meeting Notice

The Department of State announces

that the United States International

Telecommunications Advisory

Committee (ITAC),

Radiocommunication Sector Study

Group 4—Fixed Satellite Service will

meet on June 11, 1998 from 1:30 p.m.

to 4:30 p.m., in Room 5951 at the

Department of State, 2201 C Street,

N.W., Washington, D.C. 20520.

Study Group 4 studies and develops

recommendations concerning systems

and networks for fixed satellites and

inter-satellite links in the fixed satellite

service including associated tracking,

telemetry and telecommand functions.

This meeting will review Study Group

4 international activities and began

preparations for the October meeting of

Study Group 4.

Members of the General Public may

attend these meetings and join in the

discussions, subject to the instructions

of the Chairman, David Weinreich.

Note: If you wish to attend please send a

fax to 202–647–7407 not later than 24 hours

before the scheduled meeting. On this fax,

please include subject meeting, your name,

social security number, and date of birth.

One of the following valid photo ID’s will be

required for admittance: U.S. driver’s license

with your picture on it, U.S. passport, U.S.

Government ID (company ID’s are no longer

accepted by Diplomatic Security). Enter from

the ‘‘C’’ Street Main Lobby.

Dated: May 28, 1998.

John T. Gilsenan,

Chairman, U.S. ITAC for ITURadiocommunication Sector.

[FR Doc. 98–15350 Filed 6–4–98; 3:56 pm]

BILLING CODE 4710–07–M

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

[Public Notice No. 2837]

United States International

Telecommunications Advisory

Committee; Radiocommunication

Sector; Study Group 8—Mobile

Services; Meeting Notice

The Department of State announces

that the United States International

Telecommunications Advisory

Committee (ITAC),

Radiocommunication Sector Study

Group 8—Mobile Services will meet on

June 16, 1998 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in

Room 1207 at the Department of State,

2201 C Street, N.W., Washington, DC

20520.

Study Group 8 studies and develops

recommendations concerning technical

and operating characteristics of mobile,

radiodetermination, amateur and related

satellite services. This meeting will

prepare for the July 7–8, 1998

international meeting of Study Group 8.

Members of the General Public may

attend these meetings and join in the

discussions, subject to the instructions

of the Chairman, John T. Gilsenan.

Note: If you wish to attend please send a

fax to 202–647–7404 not later than 24 hours

before the scheduled meeting. On this fax,

please include subject meeting, your name,

social security number, and date of birth.

One of the following valid photo ID’s will be

required for admittance: U.S. driver’s license

with your picture on it, U.S. passport, U.S.

Government ID (company ID’s are no longer

accepted by Diplomatic Security). Enter from

the ‘‘C’’ Street Main Lobby.

Dated: May 28, 1998.

John T. Gilsenan,

Chairman, U.S. ITAC for ITURadiocommunications Sector.

[FR Doc. 98–15351 Filed 6–4–98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4710–07–M

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES

TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

United States-European Union

Transatlantic Economic Partnership

AGENCY: Office of the United States

Trade Representative.

ACTION: Notice and Request for

Comments.

SUMMARY: Pursuant to their recentlyannounced Transatlantic Economic

Partnership (TEP) initiative, the United

States and the European Union (EU)

have proposed: to negotiate the

reduction of barriers to U.S.-EU trade in

goods, services, and agricultural

products; cooperate in promoting

international efforts to open markets

around the world, and encourage the

bilateral exchange of views between

governments, business, nongovernmental organizations on trade,

investment, and related issues. The

Office of the United States Trade

Representative seeks public comment

on the initiative, including possible

areas for negotiation and cooperation,

and on procedures to obtain advice from

interested parties.

DATES: Comments should be submitted

no later than July 6, 1998.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be

submitted to Gloria Blue, Executive

Secretary, TPSC, Office of the U.S.

Trade Representative, Room 503, 600

17th Street, N.W., Washington, DC

20508.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ralph Ives, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade

Representative for Europe and the

Mediterranean or Mark Mowrey,

Director for European Regional Affairs

(202) 395–4620.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On May

18, 1998, President Clinton and his EU

counterparts issued a joint statement

announcing the TEP (reprinted

following this notice). The TEP will

have three components: (1) Negotiations

to reduce barriers to bilateral trade in

services, industrial goods, and

agricultural products; (2) cooperative

efforts in the World Trade Organization

(WTO) and other international

organizations to reduce or eliminate

barriers that hinder international trade

and capital flows and to address other

related issues; (3) and efforts to enhance

the transatlantic dialogue between

business, non-governmental

organizations, and governments on trade

and investment matters.

The bilateral trade and investment

component of the TEP will address

trade barriers, particularly unnecessary

regulatory impediments, that hinder

transatlantic trade in such sectors as

electronic commerce, services,

agricultural products, government

procurement, and intellectual property

rights (IPR), while seeking to advance

shared labor and environmental values.

U.S. and EU efforts to increase their

cooperative efforts in appropriate

multilateral organizations will

encompass such areas as services,

agricultural goods, industrial tariffs,

IPR, trade facilitation, electronic

commerce, government procurement,

trade and the environment, and support

for the observance of internationallyrecognized core labor standards.

The TEP will be implemented in a

transparent manner that places a high

priority on obtaining the views of

business, labor, environmental, and