[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 30 (Tuesday, February 16, 2016)]
[Notices]
[Pages 7871-7873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-02982]


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

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Release No. 34-77089; File No. 4-694]


Program for Allocation of Regulatory Responsibilities Pursuant to 
Rule 17d-2; Order Approving and Declaring Effective a Proposed Plan for 
the Allocation of Regulatory Responsibilities Between the Financial 
Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. and the National Stock Exchange, 
Inc.

February 9, 2016.
    On December 23, 2015, the National Stock Exchange, Inc. (``NSX'') 
and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (``FINRA'') 
(together with NSX, the ``Parties'') filed with the Securities and 
Exchange Commission (``Commission'' or ``SEC'') a plan for the 
allocation of regulatory responsibilities, dated December 22, 2015 
(``17d-2 Plan'' or the ``Plan''). The Plan was published for comment on 
January 14, 2016.\1\ The Commission received no comments on the Plan. 
This order approves and declares effective the Plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 76856 (January 8, 
2016), 81 FR 1971.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

I. Introduction

    Section 19(g)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 
(``Act''),\2\ among other things, requires every self-regulatory 
organization (``SRO'') registered as either a national securities 
exchange or national securities association to examine for, and enforce 
compliance by, its members and persons associated with its members with 
the Act, the rules and regulations thereunder, and the SRO's own rules, 
unless the SRO is relieved of this responsibility pursuant to Section 
17(d) or Section 19(g)(2) of the Act.\3\ Without this relief, the 
statutory obligation of each individual SRO could result in a pattern 
of multiple examinations of broker-dealers that maintain memberships in 
more than one SRO (``common members''). Such regulatory duplication 
would add unnecessary expenses for common members and their SROs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \2\ 15 U.S.C. 78s(g)(1).
    \3\ 15 U.S.C. 78q(d) and 15 U.S.C. 78s(g)(2), respectively.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Section 17(d)(1) of the Act \4\ was intended, in part, to eliminate 
unnecessary multiple examinations and regulatory duplication.\5\ With 
respect to a common member, Section 17(d)(1) authorizes the Commission, 
by rule or order, to relieve an SRO of the responsibility to receive 
regulatory reports, to examine for and enforce compliance with 
applicable statutes, rules, and regulations, or to perform other 
specified regulatory functions.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \4\ 15 U.S.C. 78q(d)(1).
    \5\ See Securities Act Amendments of 1975, Report of the Senate 
Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to Accompany S. 
249, S. Rep. No. 94-75, 94th Cong., 1st Session 32 (1975).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To implement Section 17(d)(1), the Commission adopted two rules: 
Rule 17d-1 and Rule 17d-2 under the Act.\6\ Rule 17d-1 authorizes the 
Commission to name a single SRO as the designated examining authority 
(``DEA'') to examine common members for compliance with the financial 
responsibility requirements imposed by the Act, or by Commission or SRO 
rules.\7\ When an SRO has been named as a common member's DEA, all 
other SROs to which the common member belongs are relieved of the 
responsibility to examine the firm for compliance with the applicable 
financial responsibility rules. On its face, Rule 17d-1 deals only with 
an SRO's obligations to enforce member compliance with financial 
responsibility requirements. Rule 17d-1 does not relieve an SRO from 
its

[[Page 7872]]

obligation to examine a common member for compliance with its own rules 
and provisions of the federal securities laws governing matters other 
than financial responsibility, including sales practices and trading 
activities and practices.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \6\ 17 CFR 240.17d-1 and 17 CFR 240.17d-2, respectively.
    \7\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 12352 (April 20, 
1976), 41 FR 18808 (May 7, 1976).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    To address regulatory duplication in these and other areas, the 
Commission adopted Rule 17d-2 under the Act.\8\ Rule 17d-2 permits SROs 
to propose joint plans for the allocation of regulatory 
responsibilities with respect to their common members. Under paragraph 
(c) of Rule 17d-2, the Commission may declare such a plan effective if, 
after providing for appropriate notice and comment, it determines that 
the plan is necessary or appropriate in the public interest and for the 
protection of investors; to foster cooperation and coordination among 
the SROs; to remove impediments to, and foster the development of, a 
national market system and a national clearance and settlement system; 
and is in conformity with the factors set forth in Section 17(d) of the 
Act. Commission approval of a plan filed pursuant to Rule 17d-2 
relieves an SRO of those regulatory responsibilities allocated by the 
plan to another SRO.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \8\ See Securities Exchange Act Release No. 12935 (October 28, 
1976), 41 FR 49091 (November 8, 1976).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Proposed Plan

    The proposed 17d-2 Plan is intended to reduce regulatory 
duplication for firms that are common members of both NSX and FINRA.\9\ 
Pursuant to the proposed 17d-2 Plan, FINRA would assume certain 
examination and enforcement responsibilities for common members with 
respect to certain applicable laws, rules, and regulations.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \9\ The proposed 17d-2 Plan refers to these common members as 
``Dual Members.'' See Paragraph 1(c) of the proposed 17d-2 Plan. On 
December 14, 2015, the Commission approved a proposal from NSX to 
resume its status as a fully operational securities exchange and to 
re-commence trading operations. See Securities Exchange Act Release 
No. 76640 (December 14, 2015), 80 FR 79122 (December 18, 2015) (SR-
NSX-2015-05) (approval order).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The text of the Plan delineates the proposed regulatory 
responsibilities with respect to the Parties. Included in the proposed 
Plan is an exhibit (the ``National Stock Exchange (``NSX'') Rules 
Certification for 17d-2 Agreement with FINRA,'' referred to herein as 
the ``Certification'') that lists every NSX rule, and select federal 
securities laws, rules, and regulations, for which FINRA would bear 
responsibility under the Plan for overseeing and enforcing with respect 
to NSX members that are also members of FINRA and the associated 
persons therewith (``Dual Members'').
    Specifically, under the 17d-2 Plan, FINRA would assume examination 
and enforcement responsibility relating to compliance by Dual Members 
with the rules of NSX that are substantially similar to the applicable 
rules of FINRA,\10\ as well as any provisions of the federal securities 
laws and the rules and regulations thereunder delineated in the 
Certification (``Common Rules''). In the event that a Dual Member is 
the subject of an investigation relating to a transaction on NSX, the 
plan acknowledges that NSX may, in its discretion, exercise concurrent 
jurisdiction and responsibility for such matter.\11\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \10\ See paragraph 1(b) of the proposed 17d-2 Plan (defining 
Common Rules). See also paragraph 1(f) of the proposed 17d-2 Plan 
(defining Regulatory Responsibilities). Paragraph 2 of the Plan 
provides that annually, or more frequently as required by changes in 
either NSX rules or FINRA rules, the parties shall review and 
update, if necessary, the list of Common Rules. Further, paragraph 3 
of the Plan provides that NSX shall furnish FINRA with a list of 
Dual Members, and shall update the list no less frequently than once 
each calendar quarter.
    \11\ See paragraph 6 of the proposed 17d-2 Plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Under the Plan, NSX would retain full responsibility for 
surveillance and enforcement with respect to trading activities or 
practices involving NSX's own marketplace, including, without 
limitation, registration pursuant to its applicable rules of associated 
persons (i.e., registration rules that are not Common Rules); its 
duties as a DEA pursuant to Rule 17d-1 under the Act; and any NSX rules 
that are not Common Rules.\12\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \12\ See paragraph 2 of the proposed 17d-2 Plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

III. Discussion

    The Commission finds that the proposed Plan is consistent with the 
factors set forth in Section 17(d) of the Act \13\ and Rule 17d-2(c) 
thereunder \14\ in that the proposed Plan is necessary or appropriate 
in the public interest and for the protection of investors, fosters 
cooperation and coordination among SROs, and removes impediments to and 
fosters the development of the national market system. In particular, 
the Commission believes that the proposed Plan should reduce 
unnecessary regulatory duplication by allocating to FINRA certain 
examination and enforcement responsibilities for common members that 
would otherwise be performed by NSX and FINRA. Accordingly, the 
proposed Plan promotes efficiency by reducing costs to common members. 
Furthermore, because NSX and FINRA will coordinate their regulatory 
functions in accordance with the Plan, the Plan should promote investor 
protection.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \13\ 15 U.S.C. 78q(d).
    \14\ 17 CFR 240.17d-2(c).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission notes that, under the Plan, NSX and FINRA have 
allocated regulatory responsibility for those NSX rules, set forth in 
the Certification, that are substantially similar to the applicable 
FINRA rules in that examination for compliance with such provisions and 
rules would not require FINRA to develop one or more new examination 
standards, modules, procedures, or criteria in order to analyze the 
application of the rule, or a common member's activity, conduct, or 
output in relation to such rule. In addition, under the Plan, FINRA 
would assume regulatory responsibility for certain provisions of the 
federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder that 
are set forth in the Certification. The Common Rules covered by the 
Plan are specifically listed in the Certification, as may be amended by 
the Parties from time to time.
    According to the Plan, NSX will review the Certification, at least 
annually, or more frequently if required by changes in either the rules 
of NSX or FINRA, and, if necessary, submit to FINRA an updated list of 
Common Rules to add NSX rules not included on the then-current list of 
Common Rules that are substantially similar to FINRA rules; delete NSX 
rules included in the then-current list of Common Rules that are no 
longer substantially similar to FINRA rules; and confirm that the 
remaining rules on the list of Common Rules continue to be NSX rules 
that are substantially similar to FINRA rules.\15\ FINRA will then 
confirm in writing whether the rules listed in any updated list are 
Common Rules as defined in the Plan. Under the Plan, NSX will also 
provide FINRA with a current list of common members and shall update 
the list no less frequently than once each quarter.\16\ The Commission 
believes that these provisions are designed to provide for continuing 
communication between the Parties to ensure the continued accuracy of 
the scope of the proposed allocation of regulatory responsibility.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \15\ See paragraph 2 of the Plan.
    \16\ See paragraph 3 of the Plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The Commission is hereby declaring effective a Plan that, among 
other things, allocates regulatory responsibility to FINRA for the 
oversight and enforcement of all NSX rules that are substantially 
similar to the rules of FINRA for common members of NSX and FINRA. 
Therefore, modifications to the Certification need not be filed with 
the Commission as an

[[Page 7873]]

amendment to the Plan, provided that the Parties are only adding to, 
deleting from, or confirming changes to NSX rules in the Certification 
in conformance with the definition of Common Rules provided in the 
Plan. However, should the Parties decide to add a NSX rule to the 
Certification that is not substantially similar to a FINRA rule; delete 
a NSX rule from the Certification that is substantially similar to a 
FINRA rule; or leave on the Certification a NSX rule that is no longer 
substantially similar to a FINRA rule, then such a change would 
constitute an amendment to the Plan, which must be filed with the 
Commission pursuant to Rule 17d-2 under the Act.\17\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \17\ The Commission also notes that the addition to or deletion 
from the Certification of any federal securities laws, rules, and 
regulations for which FINRA would bear responsibility under the Plan 
for examining, and enforcing compliance by, common members, also 
would constitute an amendment to the Plan.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

IV. Conclusion

    This Order gives effect to the Plan filed with the Commission in 
File No. 4-694. The Parties shall notify all members affected by the 
Plan of their rights and obligations under the Plan.
    It is therefore ordered, pursuant to Section 17(d) of the Act, that 
the Plan in File No. 4-694, between FINRA and NSX, filed pursuant to 
Rule 17d-2 under the Act, is approved and declared effective.
    It is further ordered that NSX is relieved of those 
responsibilities allocated to FINRA under the Plan in File No. 4-694.

    For the Commission, by the Division of Trading and Markets, 
pursuant to delegated authority.\18\
Brent J. Fields,
Secretary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \18\ 17 CFR 200.30-3(a)(34).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[FR Doc. 2016-02982 Filed 2-12-16; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8011-01-P