[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 229 (Friday, November 28, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 70932-70933]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-28121]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Departmental Offices


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of the Treasury, as part of its continuing 
effort to reduce paperwork burdens, invites the general public and 
other Federal agencies to comment on revisions in 2015 of a currently 
approved information collection that is proposed for approval by the 
Office of Management and Budget. The Office of International Affairs 
within the Department of the Treasury is soliciting comments concerning 
the revision of the Treasury International Capital (TIC) Form SHL/SHLA.

DATES: Written comments should be received on or before January 27, 
2015 to be assured of consideration.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments to Dwight Wolkow, International 
Portfolio Investment Data Systems, Department of the Treasury, Room 
5422 MT, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20220. In view of 
possible delays in mail delivery, you may also wish to send a copy to 
Mr. Wolkow by email ([email protected]) or FAX (202-622-2009). 
Mr. Wolkow can also be reached by telephone (202-622-1276).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Copies of the proposed form and 
instructions are available at Part II of the Treasury International 
Capital (TIC) Forms Web page ``Forms SHL/SHLA & SHC/SHCA'', at: http://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/tic/Pages/forms-sh.aspx. Requests for additional information should be directed to Mr. 
Wolkow.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Title: Treasury International Capital (TIC) Form SHL/SHLA, 
``Foreign-Residents' Holdings of U.S. Securities, including Selected 
Money Market Instruments''.
    OMB Control Number: 1505-0123.
    Abstract: This form collects foreign-residents' holdings of U.S. 
securities. These data are used by the U.S. Government in the 
formulation of international financial and monetary policies, and for 
the computation of the U.S. balance of payments accounts and of the 
U.S. international investment position. These data are also used to 
provide information to the public and to meet international reporting 
commitments. The data collection includes large benchmark surveys 
conducted every five years, and smaller annual surveys conducted in the 
non-benchmark years. The data collected under an annual survey are used 
in conjunction with the results of the preceding benchmark survey to 
make economy-wide estimates for that non-benchmark year. Currently, the 
determination of who must report in the annual surveys is based 
primarily on the data submitted during the preceding benchmark survey. 
The data requested in the annual survey will generally be the same as 
requested in the preceding benchmark report. Form SHL is used for the 
benchmark survey of all significant U.S.-resident custodians and U.S.-
resident issuers of securities regarding foreign-residents' holdings of 
U.S. securities. In non-benchmark years, Form SHLA is used for the 
annual surveys of primarily the largest U.S.-resident custodians and 
issuers.

[[Page 70933]]

    Current Actions: The proposed changes will: (1) Modify the 
determination of who must report on the annual surveys to include 
consideration of those filing the monthly TIC Form SLT report; (2) 
streamline Forms SHL/SHLA to provide consistency among the annual 
surveys and the TIC Form SLT (details of the changes follow below); and 
(3) update and clarify the instructions, including updating how to 
submit reports and the line-by-line instructions. The changes will 
improve overall survey reporting.
    The remainder of the Current Actions section shows in more detail 
the proposed changes to streamline Form SHL/SHLA, organized by 
schedule.
    The following changes apply to Schedule 1: Reporter Contact 
Information and Summary of Financial Information:
    a. Minor changes in wording concerning the reporter's 
identification number, name, and contacts.
    b. Lines that previously lacked numbers now have them, resulting in 
renumbering of subsequent lines.
    c. In ``Reporter Type'': ``Banks'' is replaced with ``Depository 
Institution'', ``Mutual fund or investment trust'' is replaced with 
``Fund/Fund Manager/Sponsor (excluding pension fund)'', and ``Other 
Financial Organization'' is specified to include ``BHCs (Bank Holding 
Companies) and FHCs (Financial Holding Companies)''. The category 
``Pension Fund'' is added.
    d. The line for a contact fax number is eliminated.
    The following changes apply to Schedule 2: Details of Securities:
    a. Minor changes in wording throughout to remove instruction 
comments.
    b. Lines are renumbered
    c. The line for ``Security ID System'' is now consistent across 
Forms SHCA and SHLA. The new categories are: 1 = CUSIP, 2 = ISIN, 3 = 
CINS, 4 = Common Code, 5 = SEDOL, 6 = Internally Generated, and 7 = 
Other.
    d. The lines applying to debt securities (including asset-backed 
securities) are reorganized, though the substance of the information to 
be reported remains unchanged.
    e. The ``Term Indicator'' line is eliminated.
    f. The ``Intentionally Left Blank'' lines are eliminated.
    g. ``Market values'' is replaced by ``Fair values''.
    h. Within ``Type of Issuer'': ``Other'' is eliminated and the 
categories of ``Depository Institution'', ``Other Financial 
Organization (including BHC and FHC)'', and ``Nonfinancial 
Organization'' are added.
    i. The ``Issuer Code'' is renamed to ``Reporting As''.
    j. For Schedule 2, electronic filing is required if 100 or more 
records are submitted, revised from the previous 200 or more records.
    k. Minor changes in wording throughout to remove instruction 
comments.
    l. Change in Electronic Submission Method: Reporting Central is 
replacing the Internet Electronic Submission (IESUB) application. The 
Federal Reserve developed Reporting Central to enhance the overall 
reporting functionality of the Federal Reserve Banks' data collection 
and processing activities. These enhancements will allow for a more 
secure, technically advanced, and efficient system that will encompass 
a single point of entry for electronic submission and file uploads. 
Additional information about the Reporting Central application, 
including an online resource center, is available at: https://www.frbservices.org/centralbank/reportingcentral/index.html, or from 
your contact at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved data collection.
    Affected Public: Business/Financial Institutions.
    Form: TIC SHL/SHLA, Schedules 1 and 2 (1505-0123).
    Estimated Number of Respondents: An annual average (over five 
years) of 191, but this varies widely from about 540 in benchmark years 
(once every five years) to about 104 in other years (four out of every 
five years).
    Estimated Average Time per Respondent: An annual average (over five 
years) of about 168 hours, but this will vary widely from respondent to 
respondent. (a) In the year of a benchmark survey, which is conducted 
once every five years, it is estimated that exempt respondents will 
require an average of 17 hours; for custodians of securities, the 
estimate is a total of 321 hours on average, but this figure will vary 
widely for individual custodians; and for issuers of securities that 
have data to report and are not custodians, the estimate is 61 hours on 
average. (b) In a non-benchmark year, which occurs four years out of 
every five years, it is estimated that the largest custodians of 
securities will require a total of 486 hours on average; and for the 
largest issuers of securities that have data to report and are not 
custodians, the estimate is 110 hours on average. The exemption level 
for custodians and for end-investors is the holding of less than $100 
million in reportable U.S. securities owned by foreign residents. The 
exemption level applies only in benchmark years.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden Hours: An annual average (over five 
years) of 32,050 hours.
    Frequency of Response: Annual.
    Request for Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice 
will be summarized and/or included in the request for Office of 
Management and Budget approval. All comments will become a matter of 
public record. The public is invited to submit written comments 
concerning: (a) Whether the Survey is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the Office of International Affairs 
within the Department of the Treasury, including whether the 
information collected will have practical uses; (b) the accuracy of the 
above estimate of the burdens; (c) ways to enhance the quality, 
usefulness and clarity of the information to be collected; (d) ways to 
minimize the reporting and/or record keeping burdens on respondents, 
including the use of information technologies to automate the 
collection of the data requested; and (e) estimates of capital or 
start-up costs of operation, maintenance and purchase of services to 
provide the information requested.

Dwight Wolkow,
Administrator, International Portfolio Investment Data Systems.
[FR Doc. 2014-28121 Filed 11-26-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-25-P