[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 186 (Tuesday, September 27, 2022)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Page 58439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-20896]



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 Rules and Regulations
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  Federal Register / Vol. 87, No. 186 / Tuesday, September 27, 2022 / 
Rules and Regulations  

[[Page 58439]]



BUREAU OF CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION

12 CFR Chapter X


Statement on Competition and Innovation

AGENCY: Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection.

ACTION: Statement.

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SUMMARY: The Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) authorization regarding the 
revised Policy on No-Action Letters and the Policy on the Compliance 
Assistance Sandbox (Policies) expires, and accordingly those Policies 
are no longer effective, as of September 30, 2022.

DATES: This statement is applicable on September 30, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Colete Fontenot, Acting Docket 
Manager, at (202) 435-7700. If you require this document in an 
alternative electronic format, please contact 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Discussion

    On September 10, 2019, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau 
(Bureau or CFPB) issued the ``Policy on No-Action Letters'' and the 
``Policy on the Compliance Assistance Sandbox'' (Policies).\1\ The CFPB 
issued the original version of its Policy on No-Action Letters in 
February 2016.\2\ The Policy on No-Action Letters set forth how 
companies should submit No-Action Letter applications and how the CFPB 
would assess and issue No-Action Letters. Under the policy, the CFPB 
would grant No-Action Letters to individual companies, advising 
recipients that the agency would not make supervisory findings or bring 
a supervisory or enforcement action against the company with respect to 
certain matters.
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    \1\ 84 FR 48229 (Sept. 13, 2019); 84 FR 48246 (Sept. 13, 2019).
    \2\ 81 FR 8686 (Feb. 22, 2016).
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    The Policy on the Compliance Assistance Sandbox set forth how the 
CFPB would grant a company immunity from liability under one or more of 
three safe harbor provisions and provide an approval concluding that 
the offering or providing of certain aspects of an individual company's 
product or service complies with the relevant Federal consumer 
financial law.
    Under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA),\3\ Federal 
agencies are required to assess the paperwork burdens of their 
information collection activities. The PRA authorization concerning the 
Policies expires September 30, 2022. The CFPB determined that the 
Policies do not advance their stated objective of facilitating 
consumer-beneficial innovation. The CFPB also determined that the 
existing Policies failed to meet appropriate standards for transparency 
and stakeholder participation. The CFPB is developing new approaches to 
facilitate the development of new products and services.
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    \3\ 44 U.S.C 3501 et seq.
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    To preserve resources and reduce inefficiency and burden, the CFPB 
is not requesting to renew the Policies' PRA authorizations, and the 
Policies are rescinded, effective September 30, 2022. Consistent with 
the PRA, as of September 30, 2022, the CFPB will no longer accept No-
Action Letter or Compliance Assistance Sandbox applications submitted 
on a form using OMB Control No. 3170-0059.\4\ The CFPB will continue to 
accept and process requests under the Trial Disclosure Policy.\5\ 
Entities that have made submissions under the No Action Letter or 
Compliance Assistance Sandbox Policies will be notified if the CFPB 
intends to take additional steps on such submissions.
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    \4\ No-Action Letter Application, Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau, OMB No. 3170-0059, https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_no-action-letter-application-form.pdf; Compliance 
Assistance Sandbox Application, Consumer Financial Protection 
Bureau, OMB No. 3170-0059, https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_sandbox-application.pdf.
    \5\ 84 FR 48260 (Sept. 13, 2019).
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II. Regulatory Matters

    This statement rescinds certain general statements of policy and/or 
rules of agency procedure or practice. Because no notice of proposed 
rulemaking is required, the Regulatory Flexibility Act does not require 
an initial or final regulatory flexibility analysis.\6\
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    \6\ 5 U.S.C. 603(a), 604(a).

Rohit Chopra,
Director, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
[FR Doc. 2022-20896 Filed 9-26-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4810-AM-P