[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 37 (Friday, February 23, 1996)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 6956-6958]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-3911]



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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM

12 CFR Part 211

[Regulation K; Docket No. R-0916]


International Banking Operations

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

ACTION: Proposed rule and request for comments.

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[[Page 6957]]


SUMMARY: The Board proposes to amend Regulation K to implement a 
provision of the Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching 
Efficiency Act of 1994 (the Interstate Act) that amended the 
International Banking Act of 1978 (the IBA) by adding a new subsection 
regarding the management of shell branches of foreign banks by such 
banks' U.S. offices. The provision prohibits foreign banks from using 
their U.S. branches or agencies to manage types of activities through 
offshore offices that could not be managed by a U.S. bank at its 
foreign branches or subsidiaries. This prohibition applies with respect 
to those offshore offices that are ``managed or controlled'' by a 
foreign bank's U.S. branches or agencies.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before March 25, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to Docket No. R-0916, and may be 
mailed to William W. Wiles, Secretary, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue NW., 
Washington, DC 20551. Comments also may be delivered to Room B-2222 of 
the Eccles Building between 8:45 a.m. and 5:15 p.m. weekdays, or to the 
guard station in the Eccles Building courtyard on 20th Street NW. 
(between Constitution Avenue and C Street) at any time. Comments may be 
inspected in Room MP-500 of the Martin Building between 9:00 a.m. and 
5:00 p.m. weekdays, except as provided in 12 CFR 261.8 of the Board's 
rules regarding availability of information.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Kathleen O'Day, Associate General 
Counsel (202/452-3786), Sandra L. Richardson, Managing Senior Counsel 
(202/452-6406), Janet S. Crossen, Senior Attorney (202/452-3281), Legal 
Division; Michael G. Martinson, Assistant Director, Division of Banking 
Supervision and Regulation (202/452-3640), Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System. For users of Telecommunication Device for the 
Deaf (TDD) only, please contact Dorthea Thompson, (202/452-3544), Board 
of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets NW., 
Washington, DC 20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the Interstate Act, Congress amended 
section 7 of the IBA (12 U.S.C. 3105) to prevent a foreign bank from 
using a U.S. branch or agency to manage types of activities at offshore 
offices that are managed or controlled by the foreign bank's U.S. 
branch or agency if those types of activities could not be managed by a 
U.S. bank at its foreign branches or subsidiaries. The proposed rule 
implements section 7(k) of the IBA and defines the term ``managed or 
controlled'' for purposes of the restrictions on activities set out in 
that section.
    The Board notes that section 7(k) does not confer upon foreign 
banks any right to manage activities at an offshore office from a U.S. 
office. The Board will continue to monitor relationships between the 
U.S. and offshore offices of foreign banks in the supervisory process 
in order to determine whether such activities are consistent with 
considerations relating to the safety and soundness of the U.S. 
operations of the foreign bank and its affiliates and compliance with 
law. Board staff is reviewing the use made of offshore shell branches 
by foreign and U.S. banks in order to gain insight into the purposes 
they currently serve and what, if any, supervisory risks they might 
pose.

Definition of ``Managed and Controlled''

    For purposes of the proposed rule, a non-U.S. office is considered 
to be ``managed or controlled'' by a U.S. branch or agency of a foreign 
bank if a majority of the responsibility for business decisions, 
including but not limited to decisions with regard to lending or asset 
management or funding or liability management, or the responsibility 
for recordkeeping in respect of assets or liabilities for that non-U.S. 
office, resides at the U.S. branch or agency. This definition is 
consistent with that adopted by the Federal Financial Institutions 
Examination Council with respect to the Supplement (FFIEC 002S) to the 
quarterly Report of Assets and Liabilities of U.S. Branches and 
Agencies of Foreign Banks (FFIEC 002) for the purpose of determining 
which U.S. branches or agencies of foreign banks ``manage or control'' 
offshore offices and thus must complete the FFIEC 002S. 57 FR 61907, 
Dec. 29, 1992.
    In accordance with this definition, the restrictions on activities 
imposed by new section 7(k) of the IBA apply to those offshore offices 
for which a U.S. branch or agency has substantial responsibility with 
regard to assets or liabilities or recordkeeping. The Board considers 
that a determination that the restrictions apply should be made with 
regard to where substantive decision-making authority or responsibility 
for recordkeeping lies. For example, consistent with the approach taken 
with regard to the FFIEC 002S, a U.S. branch or agency would be deemed 
to ``manage or control'' its offshore office if (1) the manager for the 
U.S. branch or agency and the manager for the offshore office are the 
same person or there is other significant overlap in personnel; (2) 
substantial responsibility for decisions regarding either assets or 
liabilities of the offshore office resides with staff in the U.S. 
branch or agency; or (3) recordkeeping systems for either assets or 
liabilities of the offshore office are maintained in the U.S. branch or 
agency. The restrictions, however, generally would not apply with 
respect to offshore branches that are full-service facilities managed 
or controlled by staff located at the offshore office or at locations 
other than in the United States. Furthermore, the fact that an offshore 
office manager may report to a U.S. branch or agency manager pursuant 
to reporting lines established by the foreign bank will not, by itself, 
necessarily mean that the offshore office would be considered to be 
``managed or controlled'' by the U.S. branch or agency for the purposes 
of restrictions on activities.

Types of Activities

    Section 7(k) restricts the activities that U.S. branches or 
agencies of foreign banks may manage through an offshore office to 
those types of activities that U.S. banks may manage at their foreign 
branches and subsidiaries, that is, those authorized under U.S. banks' 
state or federal charters and regulations issued by the chartering or 
regulatory authorities (the States, the Board, the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation and the Office of the Comptroller of the 
Currency). In addition, foreign branches and subsidiaries of member 
banks may engage in activities and make and hold investments under 
sections 25 and 25A of the Federal Reserve Act.
    Consistent with section 7(k), the proposed amendment to Regulation 
K, 12 CFR Part 211, refers to the types of activities conducted and not 
the various procedural or quantitative supervisory requirements that 
may apply when a particular activity is conducted by a U.S. bank at its 
foreign branches or subsidiaries. Section 7(k) by its terms regulates 
conduct of the U.S. branch or agency of the foreign bank. It does not 
extend U.S. supervisory requirements to non-U.S. offices of foreign 
banks as such offices are not supervised or regulated by the Board. 
Supervision of such non-U.S. offices remains the responsibility of the 
home country supervisor.

Request for Comments

    The Board requests comments on the proposed rule, in particular 
with respect to the proposed definition of ``managed or controlled'' 
and the approach contemplated for determining the types of activities 
that may be conducted by 

[[Page 6958]]
U.S. branches or agencies through their offshore offices.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    The proposed rule does not require any ``collection of 
information,'' as that term is defined in the Paperwork Reduction Act 
(44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

Regulatory Flexibility Act Analysis

    Pursuant to section 605(b) of the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 
U.S.C. 601-612), the Board certifies that the proposed amendments will 
not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small 
entities.

List of Subjects in 12 CFR Part 211

    Exports, Federal Reserve System, Foreign banking, Holding 
companies, Investments, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements.

    For the reasons set out in the preamble, the Board of Governors 
proposes to amend 12 CFR Part 211 as set forth below.

PART 211--INTERNATIONAL BANKING OPERATIONS (REGULATION K)

    1. The authority citation for 12 CFR Part 211 continues to read as 
follows:

    Authority: 12 U.S.C. 221 et seq., 1818, 1841 et seq., 3101 et 
seq., 3901 et seq.

    2. Section 211.20 is amended by removing ``and'' at the end of 
paragraph (b)(8), by removing the period at the end of paragraph (b)(9) 
and adding ``; and'' in its place, and by adding a new paragraph 
(b)(10) to read as follows:


Sec. 211.20  Authority, purpose, and scope.

* * * * *
    (b) * * *
    (10) The management of shell branches (12 U.S.C. 3105(k)).
* * * * *
    3. Section 211.24 is amended by adding a new paragraph (g) to read 
as follows:


Sec. 211.24  Approval of offices of foreign banks; procedures for 
applications; standards for approval; representative office activities 
and standards for approval; preservation of existing authority.

* * * * *
    (g) Management of shell branches. (1) A state-licensed branch or 
agency shall not manage, through an office of the foreign bank which is 
located outside the United States and is managed or controlled by such 
state-licensed branch or agency, any type of activity that a bank 
organized under the laws of the United States or any State is not 
permitted to manage at any branch or subsidiary of such bank which is 
located outside the United States.
    (2) For purposes of this paragraph (g), an office of a foreign bank 
located outside the United States is ``managed or controlled'' by a 
state-licensed branch or agency if a majority of the responsibility for 
business decisions, including but not limited to decisions with regard 
to lending or asset management or funding or liability management, or 
the responsibility for recordkeeping in respect of assets or 
liabilities for that non-U.S. office, resides at the state-licensed 
branch or agency.
    (3) The types of activities that a state-licensed branch or agency 
may manage through an office located outside the United States that it 
manages or controls include the types of activities authorized to a 
U.S. bank by state or federal charters, regulations issued by 
chartering or regulatory authorities, and other U.S. banking laws, 
including the Federal Reserve Act, and the implementing regulations, 
but U.S. procedural or quantitative requirements that may be applicable 
to the conduct of such activities by U.S. banks shall not apply.

    By order of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve 
System, February 15, 1996.
William W. Wiles,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 96-3911 Filed 2-22-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-P