Document ID: SEC-2017-1151-0001
Agency: sec
Document Type: Notice
Title: Priorities, Requirements, Definitions, and Selection Criteria: ICE Clear Europe, Ltd.
Posted Date: 2017-07-11T04:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 131 (Tuesday, July 11, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32036-32037]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-14426]

[[Page 32036]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-81075; File No. SR-ICEEU-2017-009]

Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE Clear Europe Limited; Notice 
of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of a Proposed Rule Change 
Relating to Amendments to the ICE Clear Europe Finance Procedures

July 5, 2017.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\1\ and Rule 19b-4 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given that 
on June 21, 2017, ICE Clear Europe Limited (``ICE Clear Europe'') filed 
with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule changes described in Items I, II and III below, which 
Items have been primarily prepared by ICE Clear Europe. ICE Clear 
Europe filed the proposed rule change pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A) 
of the Act \3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) thereunder,\4\ so that the 
proposal was effective upon filing with the Commission. The Commission 
is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule 
change from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
    \2\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4.
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).
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I. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the 
Proposed Rule Change

    The principal purpose of the proposed rule change is to amend the 
ICE Clear Europe Finance Procedures to add Australian dollars (``AUD'') 
as a currency eligible for variation margin and settlement payments for 
financials and softs contracts in the F&O product category which settle 
in that currency.

II. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis 
for, the Proposed Rule Change

    In its filing with the Commission, ICE Clear Europe 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. ICE Clear Europe has prepared summaries, 
set forth in sections A, B, and C below, of the most significant 
aspects of such statements.

A. Clearing Agency's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis 
for, the Proposed Rule Change

i. Purpose
    ICE Clear Europe proposes revising its Finance Procedures to add 
AUD as a currency eligible for variation margin and settlement payments 
for financials and softs contracts in the F&O product category which 
settle in that currency. These revisions do not involve any changes to 
the ICE Clear Europe Clearing Rules.\5\
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    \5\ Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the 
meanings specified in the ICE Clear Europe Clearing Rules (the 
``Rules'').
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    Specifically, ICE Clear Europe proposes to add AUD to the list of 
eligible variation margin and settlement currencies for financials and 
softs contracts in paragraph 2.1 of the Finance Procedures. Other 
conforming changes have been made in paragraphs 4.1(a), (b) and (c) and 
4.4(a) of the Finance Procedures. As with the other currencies 
currently eligible to be used as variation margin and settlement 
payments for financials and softs contracts, AUD will be subject to 
haircuts determined pursuant to the Finance Procedures and existing ICE 
Clear Europe haircut policies and procedures.
ii. Statutory Basis
    ICE Clear Europe believes that the changes described herein are 
consistent with the requirements of Section 17A of the Act \6\ and the 
regulations thereunder applicable to it, including the standards under 
Rule 17Ad-22,\7\ and in particular are consistent with the prompt and 
accurate clearance of and settlement of securities transactions and, to 
the extent applicable, derivative agreements, contracts and 
transactions, the safeguarding of securities and funds in the custody 
or control of ICE Clear Europe or for which it is responsible and the 
protection of investors and the public interest, within the meaning of 
Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act.\8\ The amendments are intended to 
revise the Finance Procedures to permit variation margin and settlement 
payments to be made in AUD for certain financials and softs contracts 
that settle in such currency. In ICE Clear Europe's view, the 
amendments will enhance the procedures for settlement of cash variation 
margin and settlement payments, and thus promote the prompt and 
accurate clearance and settlement of cleared financials and softs 
contracts. As a result, ICE Clear Europe believes the amendments are 
consistent with the requirements of Section 17A of the Act and the 
regulations thereunder.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
    \7\ 17 CFR 240.17Ad-22.
    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
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B. Clearing Agency's Statement on Burden on Competition

    ICE Clear Europe does not believe the proposed changes to the rules 
would have any impact, or impose any burden, on competition not 
necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purpose of the Act. ICE 
Clear Europe is adopting the amendments to the Finance Procedures in 
order to permit Clearing Members to provide AUD, on an optional basis, 
as variation margin and settlement payments for certain financials and 
softs contracts. ICE Clear Europe does not believe the amendments would 
materially affect the cost of clearing, adversely affect access to 
clearing in these products for Clearing Members or their customers, or 
otherwise adversely affect competition in clearing services. As a 
result, ICE Clear Europe believes that any impact or burden on 
competition from such amendments would be appropriate in furtherance of 
the purpose of the Act.

C. Clearing Agency's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change 
Received From Members, Participants or Others

    Written comments relating to the proposed changes to the rules have 
not been solicited or received. ICE Clear Europe will notify the 
Commission of any written comments received by ICE Clear Europe.

III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A) of the Act \9\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii).\10\ ICE Clear 
Europe believes that summary effectiveness is warranted with respect to 
the proposed rule changes because the proposed amendments effect a 
change in an existing service of a registered clearing agency that 
primarily affects the operations of the clearing agency with respect to 
products that are not securities, including futures that are not 
security futures, swaps that are not security-based swaps or mixed 
swaps, and forwards that are not security forwards, and does not 
significantly affect any securities clearing operations of the clearing 
agency or any rights or obligations of the clearing agency with respect 
to securities clearing or persons using such securities clearing 
service, within the meaning of Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii). Use of AUD will be 
limited to

[[Page 32037]]

F&O contracts that are financial and softs contracts. As a result, the 
proposed changes will not affect the Clearing House's CDS clearing 
operations or CDS Clearing Members acting in their capacity as such. In 
addition, the proposed amendments will not affect ICE Clear Europe's 
financial resources or risk management applicable to the CDS clearing 
business. Accordingly, ICE Clear Europe does not believe that the 
proposed amendments will have a significant effect on its securities 
clearing activity as a registered securities clearing agency or the 
rights or obligations of clearing members with respect thereto. At any 
time within 60 days of the filing of the proposed rule change, the 
Commission summarily may temporarily suspend 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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    \9\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A).
    \10\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).
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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 email to rule-comments@sec.gov. Please include 
File Number SR-ICEEU-2017-009 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

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

All submissions should refer to File Number SR-ICEEU-2017-009. This 
file number should be included on the subject line if email 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 Web site viewing and 
printing in the Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549, on official business days between the hours of 
10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Copies of such filings will also be available 
for inspection and copying at the principal office of ICE Clear Europe 
and on ICE Clear Europe's Web site at https://www.theice.com/clear-europe/regulation#rule-filings.
    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 Number SR-ICEEU-2017-009 
and should be submitted on or before August 1, 2017.
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    \11\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\11\
Eduardo A. Aleman,
 Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2017-14426 Filed 7-10-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P