Document ID: SEC-2009-0822-0001
Agency: sec
Document Type: Notice
Title: Self-Regulatory Organizations; Proposed Rule Changes: The Options Clearing Corp.
Posted Date: 2009-06-17T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 115 (Wednesday, June 17, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28738-28739]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-14143]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-60063; File No. SR-OCC-2009-10]

Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; 
Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change 
Relating to the Cross-Margining Agreement Between OCC and CME

June 8, 2009.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934,\1\ notice is hereby given that on May 22, 2009, The Options 
Clearing Corporation (``OCC'') filed with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission the proposed rule change as described in Items I, II, and 
III below, which Items have been prepared primarily by OCC. OCC filed 
the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act 
\2\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) thereunder \3\ so that the proposal was 
effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission is publishing 
this notice to solicit

[[Page 28739]]

comments on the proposed rule change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    The proposed rule change will change the definition of the term 
``Eligible Contracts'' as used in the cross-margining agreement (``XM 
Agreement'') between OCC and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. 
(``CME'') and delete Exhibit A to the Agreement.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, OCC included statements 
concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and 
discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The 
text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in 
Item IV below. OCC has prepared summaries, set forth in Sections A, B, 
and C below, of the most significant aspects of such statements.

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    Pursuant to an OCC rule change approved by the Commission in 2008, 
OCC no longer must notify the Commission when OCC wishes to add new 
options classes to a cross-margining program.\4\ With this requirement 
no longer in effect, OCC and CME have executed Amendment No. 2 to the 
XM Agreement to accomplish two purposes. First, the term ``Eligible 
Contracts'' as used in the XM Agreement will be redefined. Second, 
Exhibit A of the XM Agreement, which contains the list of Eligible 
Contracts included in the XM Agreement, will be deleted in its 
entirety.\5\
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    \4\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 57118 (Jan. 9, 2008), 73 
FR 2970 (Jan. 16, 2008) [File No. SR-OCC-2007-19].
    \5\ Amendment No. 2 to the XM Agreement is attached as Exhibit 
5A to OCC's filing with the Commission.
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    OCC states that it believes that the proposed change is consistent 
with Section 17A of the Act \6\ because it conforms the terms of the XM 
Agreement to the prior determination of the Commission that notice of 
the addition of new contracts to cross-margining programs was no longer 
needed or required. OCC further states that the proposed rule change is 
not inconsistent with the existing rules of OCC including any other 
rules proposed to be amended.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    OCC does not believe that the proposed rule change would impose any 
burden on competition.

C. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed 
Rule Change Received From Members, Participants or Others

    OCC has not solicited or received written comments with respect to 
the proposed rule change. OCC will notify the Commission of any written 
comments it receives.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for 
Commission Action

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(1) \8\ thereunder 
because the proposed rule change constitutes a stated policy, practice, 
or interpretation with respect to the meaning, administration, or 
enforcement of an existing rule. At any time within 60 days of the 
filing of the proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily 
abrogated 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.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78a(b)(3)(A)(i).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(1).
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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. Comments may be submitted by any of 
the following methods:

Electronic Comments

     Use the Commission's Internet comment form (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml) or
     Send an e-mail to rule-comment@sec.gov. Please include 
File No. SR-OCC-2009-10 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Elizabeth M. Murphy, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File No. SR-OCC-2009-10. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail is used. To 
help the Commission process and review your comments more efficiently, 
please use only one method. The Commission will post all comments on 
the Commission's Internet Web site (http://www.sec.gov/rules/sro.shtml). Copies of the submission, 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, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 10 
a.m. to 3 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for 
inspection and copying at OCC's principal office and on OCC's Web site 
at http://www.theocc.com/publications/rules/proposed_changes/proposed_changes.jsp. All comments received will be posted without 
change; the Commission does not edit personal identifying information 
from submissions. You should submit only information that you wish to 
make available publicly. All submissions should refer to File No. SR-
OCC-2009-10 and should be submitted on or before July 8, 2009.

    For the Commission by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. E9-14143 Filed 6-16-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P