12 CFR § 1253.6 - Request for prior approval of a new product; public notice; standards for approval.
(a) An Enterprise must submit a request for prior approval of a new product to FHFA before offering a new product to the market.
(1) An Enterprise may submit a request for prior approval of a new product if the Director determines that a new activity is a new product under § 1253.5(d) or, following consultation with FHFA, if the Director authorizes the Enterprise to submit such a request without first submitting a notice of new activity. An Enterprise must submit a request for prior approval of a new product to FHFA before offering a new product to the market.
(2) In support of its request for prior approval of a new product, the Enterprise shall submit thorough, complete, and specific information as described under § 1253.9(b).
(3) FHFA will evaluate the request to determine if the submission contains sufficient information for FHFA to prepare a public notice such that the public will be able to provide fully informed comments on the new product. Once FHFA makes the determination that the submission is complete, FHFA will notify the Enterprise that the submission is “received” for purposes of 12 U.S.C. 4541(c)(2).
(b) Following FHFA's determination that a submission is complete, FHFA will publish a public notice soliciting comments on the new product on FHFA's website and in the Federal Register without delay.
(1) The public notice will describe the new product and will include such information from the request for prior approval of a new product as necessary to provide the public with sufficient notice and opportunity to comment on the new product. The public notice will provide instructions for the submission of public comments.
(2) The public will have 30 days from the date that the public notice is published in the Federal Register to provide comments on the new product.
(3) The Director will consider all public comments received by the closing date of the comment period.
(c) No later than 30 days after the end of the public comment period, the Director will provide the Enterprise with a written determination on whether it may proceed with the new product. The written determination will specify the grounds for the Director's determination.
(d) The Director may approve the new product if the Director determines that the new product:
(1) In the case of Fannie Mae, is authorized under 12 U.S.C. 1717(b)(2), (3), (4), or (5) or 12 U.S.C. 1719; or
(2) In the case of Freddie Mac, is authorized under 12 U.S.C. 1454(a)(1), (4), or (5); and
(3) Is in the public interest; and
(4) Is consistent with the safety and soundness of the Enterprise or the mortgage finance system.
(e) The Director may consider the factors provided in § 1253.4(b) when determining whether a new product is in the public interest.
(f) The Director may establish terms, conditions, or limitations on the Enterprise's offering of the new product with which the Enterprise must comply in order to offer the new product.
(g) If the Director disapproves the new product, the Enterprise may not offer the new product.
(h) If the Director does not make a determination within 30 days after the end of the public comment period, the Enterprise may offer the new product. The absence of such a determination within 30 days does not limit or restrict the Director's safety and soundness authority or the Director's authority to review the new product to confirm that the product is consistent with the Enterprise's authorizing statute.
(i) The Director may request any information in addition to that supplied in the completed request for prior approval of a new product if, as a result of public comment or otherwise in the course of considering the request, the Director believes that the information is necessary for the Director's decision. The Director may disapprove a new product if the Director does not receive the information requested from the Enterprise in sufficient time to permit adequate evaluation of the information within the time periods set forth in this section.