[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 6 (Monday, January 11, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1260-1261]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-00258]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-76823; File No. 4-546]


Joint Industry Plan; Notice of Filing and Immediate Effectiveness 
of Amendment to the Options Order Protection and Locked/Crossed Market 
Plan to Add the EDGX Exchange, Inc. as a Participant

January 5, 2016.
    Pursuant to Section 11A(a)(3) of the Securities Exchange Act of 
1934 (``Act'') \1\ and Rule 608 thereunder,\2\ notice is hereby given 
that on October 26, 2015, EDGX Exchange, Inc. (``EDGX'' or 
``Exchange'') filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission 
(``Commission'') an amendment to the Options Order Protection and 
Locked/Crossed Market Plan (``Plan'').\3\ The amendment adds EDGX as a 
Participant \4\ to the Plan. The Commission is publishing this notice 
to solicit comments on the amendment from interested persons.
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    \1\ 15 U.S.C. 78k-1(a)(3).
    \2\ 17 CFR 242.608.
    \3\ On July 30, 2009, the Commission approved a national market 
system plan relating to Options Order Protection and Locked/Crossed 
Markets proposed by Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated 
(``CBOE''), International Securities Exchange, LLC (``ISE''), The 
NASDAQ Stock Market LLC (``Nasdaq''), NASDAQ OMX BX, Inc. (``BOX''), 
NASDAQ OMX PHLX, Inc. (``Phlx''), NYSE Amex, LLC (``NYSE Amex''), 
and NYSE Arca, Inc. (``NYSE Arca''). See also Securities Exchange 
Act Release No. 61546 (February 19, 2010), 75 FR 8762 (February 25, 
2010) (adding BATS Exchange, Inc. (``BATS'') as a Participant; 63119 
(October 15, 2010), 75 FR 65536 (October 25, 2010) (adding C2 
Options Exchange, Incorporated (``C2'') as a Participant); 66969 
(May 12, 2015), 77 FR 29396 (May 17, 2012) (adding BOX Options 
Exchange LLC (``BOX Options'' as a Participant); 70763 (October 28, 
2013), 78 FR 65734 (November, 2013) (adding Topaz Exchange, LLC 
(``Topaz'') as a Participant; 70762 (October 28, 2013), 78 FR 65733 
(November 1, 2013) (adding MIAX International Securities Exchange, 
LLC (``MIAX'') as a Participant).
    \4\ The term ``Participant'' is defined as an Eligible Exchange 
whose participation in the Plan has become effective pursuant to 
Section 3(c) of the Plan.
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I. Description and Purpose of the Amendment

    The current Participants in the Linkage Plan are BOX, C2, CBOE, 
ISE, MIAX, Nasdaq, Phlx, NYSE MKT, NYSE Arca, and Topaz. The amendment 
to the Plan added EDGX as a Participant in the Plan. EDGX has submitted 
a signed copy of the Plan to the Commission in accordance with the 
procedures set forth in the Plan regarding new Participants. Section 
3(c) of the Plan provides for the entry of new Participants to the 
Plan. Specifically an Eligible Exchange \5\ may become a Participant in 
the Plan by: (i) Executing a copy of the Plan, as then in effect; (ii) 
providing each current Participant with a copy of such executed Plan; 
(iii) effecting an amendment to the Plan, as specified in Section 4(b) 
of the Plan.
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    \5\ Section 2(6) of the Plan defines an ``Eligible Exchange'' as 
a national securities exchange registered with the Commission 
pursuant to Section 6(a) of the Act, 15 U.S.C. 78f(a), that: (a) Is 
a ``Participant Exchange'' in the Options Clearing Corporation 
(``OCC'') (as defined in OCC By-laws, Section VII); (b) is a party 
to the Options Price Reporting Authority (``OPRA'') Plan (as defined 
in the OPRA Plan, Section 1); and (c) if the national securities 
exchange chooses not to become part to this Plan, is a participant 
in another plan approved by the Commission providing for comparable 
Trade-Through and Locked and Crossed Market protection. EDGX has 
represented that it has met the requirements for being considered an 
Eligible Exchange. See letter from Anders Franzon, VP and Associate 
General Counsel, BATS, to Brent J. Fields, Secretary, Commission, 
dated October 26, 2015.
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    Section 4(b) of the Plan puts forth the process by which an 
Eligible Exchange may effect an amendment to the Plan. Specifically, an 
Eligible Exchange must: (a) Execute a copy of the Plan with the only 
change being the addition of the new participant's name in Section 3(a) 
of the Plan; and (b) submit the executed Plan to the Commission. The 
Plan then provides that such an amendment will be effective when the 
amendment is approved by the Commission or otherwise becomes effective 
pursuant to Section 11A of the Act and Rule 608 thereunder.

II. Effectiveness of the Proposed Linkage Plan Amendment

    The foregoing Plan amendment has become effective pursuant to Rule 
608(b)(3)(iii) of the Act \6\ because it involves solely technical or 
ministerial matters. At any time within sixty days of the filing of 
this amendment, the Commission may summarily abrogate the amendment and 
require that it be refiled pursuant to paragraph (b)(1) of Rule 608,\7\ 
if it appears to the Commission that such action is necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors or 
the maintenance of fair and orderly markets, to remove impediments to, 
and perfect the mechanisms of, a national market system or otherwise in 
furtherance of the purposes of the Act.
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    \6\ 17 CFR 242.608(b)(3)(iii).
    \7\ 17 CFR 242.608(b)(1).
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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 amendment 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 email to [email protected]. Please include 
File Number 4-546 on the subject line.

Paper Comments

     Send paper comments in triplicate to Brent J. Fields, 
Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street NE., 
Washington, DC 20549-1090.

All submissions should refer to File Number 4-546. This file number 
should be included on the subject line if email 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 
amendment 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 Web site viewing and printing in the 
Commission's Public Reference Room, 100 F Street NE., Washington, DC 
20549, on official business days between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection 
and copying

[[Page 1261]]

at the principal office of EDGX. 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 submissions should refer to 
File Number 4-546 and should be submitted on or before February 1, 
2016.

    By the Commission.
Robert W. Errett,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2016-00258 Filed 1-8-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P