[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 46 (Friday, March 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10807-10808]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-4189]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-55391; File No. SR-NSCC-2007-04]


Self-Regulatory Organizations; National Securities Clearing 
Corporation; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness of Proposed 
Rule Change Relating to Collateral Management Service

March 2, 2007.
    Pursuant to Section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934,\1\ notice is hereby given that on February 22, 2007, the National 
Securities Clearing Corporation (``NSCC'') filed with the Securities 
and Exchange Commission (``Commission'') the proposed rule change as 
described in Items I, II, and III below, which Items have been prepared 
substantially by NSCC. NSCC filed the proposed rule change pursuant to 
Section 19(b)(3)(A)(iii) of the Act \2\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4) \3\ 
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\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \3\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4).
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I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance 
of the Proposed Rule Change

    Under the proposed rule change, NSCC will eliminate references to 
the Collateral Management Service (``CMS'') in its rules and 
procedures.

II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

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

A. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and 
Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change

    NSCC has offered CMS to its members since 1995.\4\ CMS was created 
to provide NSCC members with access on a daily basis to information 
regarding their clearing fund, margin, and other similar requirements 
and deposits (``CMS data'') at NSCC, other participating clearing 
agencies registered with the Commission, and clearing organizations 
recognized by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (collectively, 
``Participating Clearing Entities'' \5\). The information included such 
things as excess or deficit amounts and data on underlying collateral. 
The CMS service also permitted Participating Clearing Entities to 
receive CMS data with respect to their participants.
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    \4\ Securities Exchange Act Release No. 36091 (Aug. 10, 1995), 
60 FR 42931 (Aug. 17, 1995) [File No. SR-NSCC-95-6]. See also 
Securities Exchange Act Release Nos. 38283 (Feb. 13, 1997), 62 FR 
38283 (Feb. 21, 1997) [File No. SR-NSCC-96-19], and 40740 (Dec. 3, 
1998), 63 FR 67962 (Dec. 9, 1998) [File No. SR-NSCC-98-10].
    \5\ The original Participating Clearing Entities were: 
Participants Trust Company, Philadelphia Depository Trust Company, 
Stock Clearing Corporation of Philadelphia, Boston Stock Exchange 
Clearing Corporation, The Depository Trust Company, The Options 
Clearing Corporation, MBS Clearing Corporation, and Government 
Securities Clearing Corporation.
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    However, few NSCC members elected to use CMS because they can 
obtain access to CMS data by other means provided by NSCC. In addition, 
by the end of 2004, the Participating Clearing Entities had long ceased 
transmitting CMS data to NSCC, and the service had become dormant. 
Accordingly, NSCC will delete Rule 53 and Procedure XVI (Collateral 
Management Service), will delete all references to CMS from Rule 4, 
Section 9 (Clearing Fund), and will amend Rule 49 (Release of Clearing 
Data) to preserve NSCC's right to share clearing fund data with 
appropriate regulatory and self-regulatory organizations.
    NSCC believes that the proposed rule change is consistent with 
Section 17A of the Act \6\ and the rules and regulations thereunder 
because by eliminating rules pertaining to an obsolete and dormant 
service, while preserving its right to share clearing fund data with 
appropriate regulatory bodies, NSCC's rules will more accurately 
reflect the services it provides to its members.
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    \6\ 15 U.S.C. 78q-1.
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B. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition

    NSCC does not believe that the proposed rule change will 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

    NSCC has discussed the proposed rule change with Participating 
Clearing Entities but has not solicited or received written comments 
relating to the proposed rule change. NSCC will notify the Commission 
of any written comments it receives.

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) of the Act \7\ and Rule 19b-4(f)(4) \8\ thereunder 
because it effects a change in an existing service of a registered 
clearing agency that does not adversely affect the safeguarding of 
securities and funds in the custody or control of the clearing agency 
or for which it is responsible and does not significantly affect the 
respective rights or obligations of the clearing agency or persons 
using the service. At any time within 60 days of the filing of the 
proposed rule change, the Commission may summarily abrogate such rule 
change if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or

[[Page 10808]]

appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
otherwise in furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
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    \7\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(3)(A)(iii).
    \8\ 17 CFR 240.19b-4(f)(4).
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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 e-mail to [email protected]. Please include 
File No. SR-NSCC-2007-04 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Nancy M. Morris, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.
    All submissions should refer to File No. SR-NSCC-2007-04. This file 
number should be included on the subject line if e-mail 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 inspection and 
copying in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 100 F Street, 
NE., Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available 
for inspection and copying at NSCC's principal office and on NSCC's Web 
site at http://www.nscc.com/legal/index.html. 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 submission 
should refer to File No. SR-NSCC-2007-04 and should be submitted on or 
before March 30, 2007.

    For the Commission by the Division of Market Regulation, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\9\
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    \9\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(12).
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Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
 [FR Doc. E7-4189 Filed 3-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P