17 CFR § 21.03 - Selected special calls-duties of foreign brokers, domestic and foreign traders, futures commission merchants, clearing members, introducing brokers, and reporting markets.

§ 21.03 Selected special calls-duties of foreign brokers, domestic and foreign traders, futures commission merchants, clearing members, introducing brokers, and reporting markets.

(a) For purposes of this section, the term “accounts of a futures commission merchant, clearing member or foreign broker” means all open contracts and transactions in futures and options on the records of the futures commission merchant, clearing member or foreign broker; the term “beneficial interest” means having or sharing in any rights, obligations or financial interest in any futures or options account; the term “customer” means any futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker, foreign broker, or trader for whom a futures commission merchant, clearing member or reporting market that is a registered entity under section 1a(29) of the Act makes or causes to be made a futures or options contract. Paragraphs (e), (g) and (h) of this section shall not apply to any futures commission merchant, clearing member or customer whose books and records are open at all times to inspection in the United States by any representative of the Commission.

(b) It shall be unlawful for a futures commission merchant to open a futures or options account or to effect transactions in futures or options contracts for an existing account, or for an introducing broker to introduce such an account, for any customer for whom the futures commission merchant or introducing broker is required to provide the explanation provided for in § 15.05(c) of this chapter, or for a reporting market that is a registered entity under section 1a(40)(F) of the Act, to cause to open an account, or to cause transactions to be effected, in a contract traded in reliance on a Commission grandfather relief order issued pursuant to Section 723(c)(2)(B) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Pub. L. 111–203, 124 Stat. 1376 (2010)), for an existing account for any person that is a foreign clearing member or foreign trader, until the futures commission merchant, introducing broker, clearing member or reporting market has explained fully to the customer, in any manner that such person deems appropriate, the provisions of this section.

(c) Upon a determination by the Commission that information concerning accounts may be relevant information in enabling the Commission to determine whether the threat of a market manipulation, corner, squeeze, or other market disorder exists on any reporting market, the Commission may issue a call for information from a futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker or customer pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(d) In the event the call is issued to a foreign broker, foreign clearing member or foreign trader, its agent, designated pursuant to § 15.05 of this chapter, shall, if directed, promptly transmit calls made by the Commission pursuant to this section by electronic mail or a similarly expeditious means of communication.

(e) The futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker, or customer to whom the special call is issued must provide to the Commission the information specified below for the commodity, reporting market and delivery months or option expiration dates named in the call. Such information shall be filed at the place and within the time specified by the Commission.

(1) For each account of a futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker, or foreign broker, including those accounts in the name of the futures commission merchant, clearing member or foreign broker, on the dates specified in the call issued pursuant to this section, such persons shall provide the Commission with the following information:

(i) The name and address of the person in whose name the account is carried or introduced and, if the person is not an individual, the name of the individual to contact regarding the account;

(ii) The total open futures and options contracts in the account;

(iii) The number of futures contracts against which delivery notices have been issued or received and the number against which exchanges of futures for cash have been transacted during the period of time specified in the call;

(iv) Whether the account is carried for and in the name of another futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker, or foreign broker; and

(v) For the accounts which are not carried for and in the name of another futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker, or foreign broker, the name and address of any other person who controls the trading of the account, and the name and address of any person who has a ten percent or more beneficial interest in the account.

(2) Each trader shall provide the Commission with the following information:

(i) The total open futures and options contracts owned or controlled on the dates specified in the call;

(ii) The name and address of any person having a ten percent or more beneficial interest in the open futures or options contracts reported pursuant to this paragraph;

(iii) The name and address of any other person who controls the trading of the open futures or options contracts reported pursuant to this paragraph; and

(iv) The cash commodity transaction and position information required to be maintained pursuant to § 18.05 of this chapter as specified in the call which relates to futures or options positions of the trader in the United States.

(f) If the Commission has reason to believe that any person has not responded as required to a call made pursuant to this section, the Commission in writing may inform the reporting market specified in the call and that reporting market shall prohibit the execution of, and no futures commission merchant, clearing member, introducing broker, or foreign broker shall effect a transaction in connection with trades on the reporting market and in the months or expiration dates specified in the call for or on behalf of the futures commission merchant or customer named in the call, unless such trades offset existing open contracts of such futures commission merchant or customer.

(g) Any person named in a special call that believes he or she is or may be adversely affected or aggrieved by action taken by the Commission under paragraph (f) of this section shall have the opportunity for a prompt hearing after the Commission acts. That person may immediately present in writing to the Commission for its consideration any comments or arguments concerning the Commission's action and may present for Commission consideration any documentary or other evidence that person deems appropriate. Upon request, the Commission may, in its discretion, determine that an oral hearing be conducted to permit the further presentation of information and views concerning any matters by any or all such persons. The oral hearing may be held before the Commission or any person designated by the Commission, which person shall cause all evidence to be reduced to writing and forthwith transmit the same and a recommended decision to the Commission. The Commission's directive under paragraph (f) of this section shall remain in effect unless and until modified or withdrawn by the Commission.

(h) If, during the course of or after the Commission acts pursuant to paragraph (f) of this section, the Commission determines that it is appropriate to undertake a proceeding pursuant to section 6(c) of the Act, the Commission shall issue a complaint in accordance with the requirements of section 6(c), and, upon further determination by the Commission that the conditions described in paragraph (c) of this section still exist, a hearing pursuant to section 6(c) of the Act shall commence no later than five business days after service of the complaint. In the event the person served with the complaint under section 6(c) of the Act has, prior to the commencement of the hearing under section 6(c) of the Act, sought a hearing pursuant to paragraph (g) of this section and the Commission has determined to accord him such a hearing, the two hearings shall be conducted simultaneously. Nothing in this section shall preclude the Commission from taking other appropriate action under the Act or the Commission's regulations thereunder, including action under section 6(c) of the Act, regardless of whether the conditions described in paragraph (c) of this section still exist, and no ruling issued in the course of a hearing pursuant to paragraph (g) or this paragraph shall constitute an estoppel against the Commission in any other action.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 3038–0009)
[46 FR 63036, Dec. 30, 1981, and 47 FR 45001, Oct. 13, 1982, as amended at 48 FR 35301, Aug. 3, 1983; 59 FR 5702, Feb. 8, 1994; 71 FR 37821, July 3, 2006; 74 FR 12192, Mar. 23, 2009; 77 FR 66334, Nov. 2, 2012]