17 CFR § 40.3 - Voluntary submission of new products for Commission review and approval.
(a) Request for approval. Pursuant to Section 5c(c) of the Act, a designated contract market, a swap execution facility, or a derivatives clearing organization may request that the Commission approve a new or dormant product prior to listing the product for trading or accepting the product for clearing, or if a product was initially submitted under § 40.2 of this part or § 39.5 of this chapter, subsequent to listing the product for trading or accepting the product for clearing. A submission requesting approval shall:
(1) Be filed electronically in a format and manner specified by the Secretary of the Commission with the Secretary of the Commission;
(2) Include a copy of the submission cover sheet in accordance with the instructions in appendix D to this part;
(3) Include a copy of the rules that set forth the contract's terms and conditions;
(4) Include an explanation and analysis of the product and its compliance with applicable provisions of the Act, including core principles, and the Commission's regulations thereunder. This explanation and analysis shall either be accompanied by the documentation relied upon to establish the basis for compliance with the applicable law, or incorporate information contained in such documentation, with appropriate citations to data sources;
(5) Describe any agreements or contracts entered into with other parties that enable the registered entity to carry out its responsibilities;
(6) Include the certifications required in § 41.22 for product approval of a commodity that is a security future or a security futures product as defined in Sections 1a(44) or 1a(45) of the Act, respectively;
(7) Include, if appropriate, a request for confidential treatment as permitted under § 40.8;
(8) Include the filing fee required under appendix A to this part;
(9) Certify that the registered entity posted a notice of its request for Commission approval of the new product and a copy of the submission, concurrent with the filing of a submission with the Commission, on the registered entity's Web site. Information that the registered entity seeks to keep confidential may be redacted from the documents published on the registered entity's Web site but must be republished consistent with any determination made pursuant to § 40.8(c)(4);
(10) Include, if requested by Commission staff, additional evidence, information or data demonstrating that the contract meets, initially or on a continuing basis, the requirements of the Act, or other requirement for designation or registration under the Act, or the Commission's regulations or policies thereunder. The registered entity shall submit the requested information by the open of business on the date that is two business days from the date of request by Commission staff, or at the conclusion of such extended period agreed to by Commission staff after timely receipt of a written request from the registered entity.
(b) Standard for review and approval. The Commission shall approve a new product unless the terms and conditions of the product violate the Act or the Commission's regulations.
(c) Forty-five day review. All products submitted for Commission approval under this paragraph shall be deemed approved by the Commission 45 days after receipt by the Commission, or at the conclusion of an extended period as provided under paragraph (d) of this section, unless notified otherwise within the applicable period, if:
(1) The submission complies with the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section; and
(2) The submitting entity does not amend the terms or conditions of the product or supplement the request for approval, except as requested by the Commission or for correction of typographical errors, renumbering or other non-substantive revisions, during that period. Any voluntary, substantive amendment by the submitting entity will be treated as a new submission under this section.
(d) Extension of time. The Commission may extend the 45 day review period in paragraph (c) of this section for:
(1) An additional 45 days, if the product raises novel or complex issues that require additional time to analyze, in which case the Commission shall notify the registered entity within the initial 45 day review period and shall briefly describe the nature of the specific issues for which additional time for review is required; or
(2) Any extended review period to which the registered entity agrees in writing.
(e) Notice of non-approval. The Commission at any time during its review under this section may notify the registered entity that it will not, or is unable to, approve the product. This notification will briefly specify the nature of the issues raised and the specific provision of the Act or the Commission's regulations, including the form or content requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, that the product violates, appears to violate or potentially violates but which cannot be ascertained from the submission.
(f) Effect of non-approval.
(1) Notification to a registered entity under paragraph (e) of this section of the Commission's determination not to approve a product does not prejudice the entity from subsequently submitting a revised version of the product for Commission approval or from submitting the product as initially proposed pursuant to a supplemented submission.
(2) Notification to a registered entity under paragraph (e) of this section of the Commission's refusal to approve a product shall be presumptive evidence that the entity may not truthfully certify under § 40.2 that the same, or substantially the same, product does not violate the Act or the Commission's regulations thereunder.