Eligible counterparties may be considered to be falling within one of the following categories: 1. Investment firms 2. Credit institutions 3. Insurance companies 4. UCITS and their management companies 5. Pension funds and their management companies 6. Other financial institutions authorized or regulated under community or national law 7. Commodity and commodity derivative traders (dealing on own account) 8. National governments and their corresponding offices including public bodies which manage public debt 9. Central Banks 10. Supranational organizations 11. Third country entities equivalent to the categories mentioned above When dealing with eligible counterparties, the CIF obtains express confirmation from the counterparty that it agrees to be treated as an eligible counterparty. This can be obtained either as a general agreement or on a transaction by transaction basis.