[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 103 (Thursday, May 29, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 32042-32043]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-13344]


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FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM


Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection; 
Comment Request

AGENCY: Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (Board)

ACTION: Notice and request for comment

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. chapter 35), the Board, the Federal Deposit 
Insurance Corporation (FDIC), and the Office of the Comptroller of the 
Currency (OCC) (collectively, the ``agencies''), may not conduct or 
sponsor, and the respondent is not required to respond to, an 
information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The agencies, under the 
auspices of the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council 
(FFIEC), propose to extend without revision the following currently 
approved information collection: the Country Exposure Report for U.S. 
Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks (FFIEC 019). The Board is 
publishing this request for extension on behalf of the agencies. At the 
end of the comment period, the comments and recommendations received 
will be analyzed to determine whether the FFIEC and the agencies should 
modify the information collection. The Board will then submit the 
reports to OMB for review and approval.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before July 28, 2003.

ADDRESSES: Interested parties are invited to submit written comments to 
the agency listed below. All comments will be shared among the 
agencies.
    Written comments, which should refer to ``Country Exposure Report 
for U.S. Branches and Agencies of Foreign Banks, 7100-0213,'' may be 
mailed to Ms. Jennifer J. Johnson, Secretary, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, 20th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., 
Washington, DC 20551. However, because paper mail in the Washington 
area and at the Board of Governors is subject to delay, please consider 
submitting your comments by e-mail to [email protected], 
or faxing them to the Office of the Secretary at 202-452-3819 or 202-
452-3102. Members of the public may inspect comments in Room MP-500 
between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays pursuant to 261.12, except 
as provided in 261.14, of the Board's Rules Regarding Availability of 
Information, 12 CFR 261.12 and 261.14.
    A copy of the comments may also be submitted to the OMB desk 
officer for the agencies: Joseph F. Lackey, Jr., Office of Information 
and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, New Executive 
Office Building, Room 10235, Washington, DC 20503 or electronic mail to 
[email protected].

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Additional information or a copy of 
the collection may be requested from Cindy Ayouch, Federal Reserve 
Board Clearance Officer, (202) 452-3829, Division of Research and 
Statistics, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, 20th and 
C Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20551. Telecommunications Device for 
the Deaf (TDD) users may call (202) 263-4869, Board of Governors of the 
Federal Reserve System, 20th and C Streets, N.W., Washington, D.C. 
20551.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Proposal to Extend For Three Years Without Revision the Following 
Currently Approved Information Collection:

    Report title: Country Exposure Report for U.S. Branches and 
Agencies of Foreign Banks
    Form number: FFIEC 019.
    OMB number: 7100-0213.
    Frequency of response: Quarterly.
    Affected Public: U.S. branches and agencies of foreign banks.
    Number of respondents: 185.
    Estimated average hours per response: 10 hours.
    Estimated Annual reporting hours: 7,400 hours.

[[Page 32043]]

    General Description of Report: This information collection is 
mandatory: 12 U.S.C. 3906 for all agencies; 12 U.S.C. 3105 and 3108 for 
the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; sections 7 and 10 
of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1817, 1820) for the 
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; and the National Bank Act (12 
U.S.C. 161) for the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency). This 
information collection is given confidential treatment. (5 U.S.C. 
552(b)(8)). Small businesses (that is, small U.S. branches and agencies 
of foreign banks) are affected.
    Abstract: All individual U.S. branches and agencies of foreign 
banks that have more than $30 million in direct claims on residents of 
foreign countries must file the FFIEC 019 report quarterly. Currently, 
all respondents report adjusted exposure amounts to the five largest 
countries having at least $20 million in total adjusted exposure. The 
Agencies collect this data to monitor the extent to which such branches 
and agencies are pursuing prudent country risk diversification policies 
and limiting potential liquidity pressures. No changes are proposed to 
the FFIEC 019 reporting form or instructions.

Request for Comment

Comments are invited on:
    a. Whether the information collections are necessary for the proper 
performance of the agencies' functions, including whether the 
information has practical utility;
    b. The accuracy of the agencies' estimates of the burden of the 
information collections, including the validity of the methodology and 
assumptions used;
    c. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected;
    d. Ways to minimize the burden of information collections on 
respondents, including through the use of automated collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology; and
    e. Estimates of capital or start up costs and costs of operation, 
maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be shared among 
the agencies and will be summarized or included in the Board's request 
for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. 
Written comments should address the accuracy of the burden estimates 
and ways to minimize burden including the use of automated collection 
techniques or the use of other forms of information technology as well 
as other relevant aspects of the information collection request.
    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, May 22, 2003.

Jennifer J. Johnson,
Secretary of the Board.
[FR Doc. 03-13344 Filed 5-28-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6210-01-S