cross-border

Subscribe to cross-border

By a vote of 3-2, on July 23, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission adopted its Final Cross-Border Swaps Rulemaking (Final Cross-Border Rule), which codifies several parts of the CFTC’s existing interpretive guidance and policy statement on the subject. Among other things, the Final Cross-Border Rule establishes key definitions, some of which are revised definitions of existing terms used in the interpretive guidance (e.g., the definition of “U.S. Person”) and others which are new. The rule also addresses which cross-border swaps must be considered for the purposes of the swap dealer registration threshold.
Continue Reading CFTC Adopts Final Cross-Border Swap Rulemaking; Staff Issues No-Action Relief for ANE Transactions

On December 18, the Securities and Exchange Commission voted to propose new rules to require resource extraction issuers to disclose payments made to foreign governments or the US government for the commercial development of oil, natural gas or minerals, as required by Section 13(q) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act).
Continue Reading SEC Proposes New Rules to Implement Resource Extraction Disclosure Rules

On December 18, the Securities and Exchange Commission adopted some amendments to its rules concerning the cross-border application of certain security-based swap requirements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and issued a statement that it will be allowing some time-limited relief for reporting parties when security-based swap reporting goes into effect.
Continue Reading SEC Adopts Final SBS Cross-Border Rule Amendments and Sets Compliance Date for SBS Dealer Registration

On June 25, 2019, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission published for comment a proposed amendment to CFTC Regulation 30.10. Part 30 of the CFTC’s regulations govern the offer and sale of foreign futures and options to customers located in the United States. Among other requirements, Regulation 30.4 requires any person that solicits or accepts orders for execution on a foreign board of trade and that, in connection therewith, accepts any money or securities to margin any resulting contracts, to be registered with the CFTC as a futures commission merchant (FCM). Regulation 30.10 authorizes the CFTC to exempt from registration as an FCM any person located outside of the U.S. that the CFTC finds is subject to a comparable regulatory structure in the jurisdiction in which it is located. Requests for exemption are generally filed by a non-U.S. regulatory authority or self-regulatory organization on behalf of their registrants.
Continue Reading CFTC Publishes Request for Comment on Proposed Rule Change to Cross-Border Regulatory Commitments

On August 13, President Trump signed into law the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 (FIRRMA). The new law expands the jurisdiction and powers of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and will have material implications for investments made in US businesses by foreign investors. Certain provisions of the new law went into effect immediately. Others will become effective after implementing regulations are adopted.
Continue Reading New Foreign Investment Law Expands CFIUS Jurisdiction

On August 8, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a “Dear CEO” letter concerning cross-border booking arrangements.

In the letter, the FCA explains that the UK’s impending withdrawal from the EU has resulted in firms needing to put in place contingency plans that, when executed, will impact current business models, legal entity strategies and booking arrangements. The FCA states that it appreciates the information firms have already provided to it on their plans, and reminds firms of the importance of continuing to provide all necessary information. The FCA further states that firms should not make decisions without first speaking to the FCA.
Continue Reading FCA Publishes Dear CEO Letter on Cross-Border Booking Arrangements

On April 20, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and three Canadian regulatory authorities signed counterparts to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) designed to promote the cooperation and exchange of information with regard to entities operating on a cross-border basis between the United States and Canada.
Continue Reading CFTC Enters Into Information Sharing MOU With Three Additional Canadian Provinces

The Security Exchange Commission has added an additional piece to its array of cross-border rules for security-based swaps (SBS). The new rule confirms that, consistent with the position taken by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission with respect to cross-border swaps, a non-US person must include in its de minimis calculations for security-based swap dealer registration any non-cleared “dealing” SBS it executes with a non-US-person counterparty if the swap is “arranged, negotiated or executed” by personnel of the non-US person located in a US branch or office or by agents of the non-US person located in a U.S. branch or office.
Continue Reading SEC Adopts Additional Rule for Cross-Border Security-Based Swaps