Document ID: SEC-2012-2164-0001
Agency: sec
Document Type: Notice
Title: Self-Regulatory Organizations; Proposed Rule Changes: ICE Clear Europe Ltd
Posted Date: 2012-12-31T05:00Z

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 250 (Monday, December 31, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77159-77160]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-31253]

[[Page 77159]]

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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-68523; File No. SR-ICEEU-2012-21]

 Self-Regulatory Organizations; ICE Clear Europe Limited; Notice 
of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed Rule Changes To 
Implement Requirements of Commodity Futures Trading Commission Rule 
39.13(g)(8)(ii)

December 21, 2012.
    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 December 19, 2012, ICE Clear Europe Limited (``ICE Clear Europe'') 
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the 
proposed rule change described in Items I, II and III below, which 
items have been prepared primarily by ICE Clear Europe. ICE Clear 
Europe filed the proposal pursuant to Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the 
Act,\3\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) \4\ thereunder 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)(iii).
    \4\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of Terms of Substance of 
the Proposed Rule Change

    ICE Clear Europe proposes to implement Commodity Futures Trading 
Commission (``CFTC') Rule 39.13(g)(8)(ii), which requires that FCM 
Clearing Members collect customer initial margin for customer non-hedge 
positions at a level that is greater than 100% of ICE Clear Europe's 
initial margin requirements. As a result, ICE Clear Europe has 
established a minimum percentage of 110% in respect of non-hedge 
customers for energy futures. All capitalized terms not defined herein 
are defined in the ICE Clear Europe Rules.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of 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.\5\
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    \5\ The Commission has modified the text of the summaries 
prepared by OCC.
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A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    The purpose of the change is to implement the requirements of CFTC 
Rule 39.13(g)(8)(ii). ICE Clear Europe has informed FCM Clearing 
Members of the new requirements of CFTC Rule 39.13(g)(8)(ii). This rule 
requires that FCM Clearing Members collect customer initial margin for 
customer non-hedge positions at a level that is greater than 100% of 
ICE Clear Europe's initial margin requirements. Accordingly, ICE Clear 
Europe has established a minimum percentage of 110% in respect of non-
hedge customers for energy futures. As a result, as of October 4, 2012, 
FCM Clearing Members must collect an amount of no less than 110% of ICE 
Clear Europe's initial margin requirement in respect of those 
customers.
    Section 17A(b)(3)(F) of the Act \6\ requires, among other things, 
that the rules of a clearing agency be designed to promote the prompt 
and accurate clearance and settlement of securities transactions and, 
to the extent applicable, derivative agreements, contracts, and 
transactions. ICE Clear Europe believes that the proposed change to 
margin requirements applicable to FCM Clearing Members is consistent 
with the requirements of the Act and the rules and regulations 
thereunder applicable to ICE Clear Europe, in particular, with Section 
17A(b)(3)(F),\7\ because improved margining facilitates the prompt and 
accurate clearance and settlement and improves the safety and soundness 
of the clearing house.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1(b)(3)(F).
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    ICE Clear Europe does not believe the proposed change would have 
any impact, or impose any burden, on competition.

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

    Written comments relating to the proposed change 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 and Timing for 
Commission Action

    The foregoing rule change has become effective pursuant to Section 
19(b)(3)(A)(iii) \8\ of the Act and Rule 19b-4(f)(4)(ii) \9\ thereunder 
because it primarily affects the futures clearing operations of the 
clearing agency with respect to futures that are not security futures, 
and does not significantly affect the securities clearing operations of 
the clearing agency or any related rights or obligations of the 
clearing agency or persons using such service. 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.\10\
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    \8\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \9\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4)(ii).
    \10\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(C).
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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 No. SR-ICEEU-2012-21 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 Number SR-ICEEU-2012-21. 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

[[Page 77160]]

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 filing also will 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/publicdocs/regulatory_filings/ICEU_SEC_121912_2012-21.pdf.
    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-2012-21 
and should be submitted on or before January 22, 2013.
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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\
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-31253 Filed 12-28-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P