This ICR covers the Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (“Commission” or “CFTC”) amendments to its Form
8-R. The 8-R is the application form that individuals must use to
register with the Commission as an associated person of a
registrant, floor broker, or floor trader, or to be listed as a
principal of a registrant (collectively, “applicants”). 17 CFR
3.10(a)(2), 3.11(a), and 3.12(c). Form 8-R requests information
about the applicant that is necessary to assess the applicant’s
fitness to engage in business as a derivatives professional,
subject to regulation and oversight by the Commission. Individual
applicants have been required to use Form 8-R since 1977. Revision
of Registration Forms and Amendment of Related Rules, 42 FR 23988
(May 11, 1977) (Form 8-R replaced Forms 2-R, 4-R and 94). This ICR
also addresses the implications of the Form 3-R cancellation. With
regards to the Alternative to Fingerprinting Requirement For
Foreign Natural Persons: the alternative to fingerprinting
recognized the limitations on usefulness of fingerprints of foreign
nationals while also ensuring the continued protection of market
participants and the public through submission of a certification
to NFA relating to the background check of the relevant foreign
natural person and maintainance of records relating thereto
pursuant to Commission regulation 3.21. With regards to Commodity
Pool Operators and Commodity Trading Advisors; Amendments to
Compliance Obligations: This collection covers the Commodity
Futures Trading Commission's data collection authority for CPO's
and CTAs, that are consistent with the data collection required
under Title IV of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer
Protection Act, for entities registered with both the Commission
and the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Commodity Futures
Trading Commission (“Commission” or “CFTC”) amended Form 7-R. Form
7-R is the application form that entities must use to register with
the Commission as a futures commission merchant, retail foreign
exchange dealer, introducing broker, commodity trading advisor,
commodity pool operator, leverage transaction merchant, swap
dealer, major swap participant, or floor trader firm (collectively,
“applicants”). 17 CFR 3.10(a)(1), 3.11(a). Applicants have been
required to use Form 7-R since 1977. Revision of Registration Forms
and Amendment of Related Rules, 42 FR 23988 (May 11, 1977) (Form
7-R replaced Forms 1-R, 5-R and 6-R). Form 7-R requests information
about the applicant that is necessary to assess the applicant’s
fitness to engage in business in the registration categories
referenced above, subject to regulation and oversight by the
Commission. In connection with the revision of Form 7-R, the
Commission is making no change to the burden estimates of
collections 3038-0023 and 3038-0072 because the changes to Form
7-R, when considered together in the aggregate, do not result in
any net change to the information collection burdens associated
with the revised version of Form 7-R. The Commodity Futures Trading
Commission (CFTC or Commission) has determined to adopt via final
rulemaking two new exemptions and an exclusion that generally would
provide relief from commodity pool operator (CPO) and/or commodity
trading advisor (CTA) registration and compliance. Accordingly, the
Commission is amending this information collection to reflect the
deregistration of entities eligible for this new relief, who were
previously subject to registration as CPOs and/or CTAs under the
Commodity Exchange Act (CEA) and CFTC regulations. The Commission
continues to project a decrease in the number of registrants
consistent with the exclusion and exemptions adopted in this final
rulemaking, and therefore, decreases in the respondents, responses,
and overall burden of this information collection.
Overall, the estimated burden
hours are decreased due to a decrease in the number of persons
expected to apply for and maintain registration as a result of the
final rulemaking. The total number of registrants is expected to
decrease from year to year, due to several factors, including,
among other things, the adoption by the CFTC of regulations that
provide additional exemptions and exclusions from the requirement
to register as a CPO or CTA, and the industry trend away from open
outcry trading to electronic trading.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that
the collection of information encompassed by this request complies
with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR
1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding
the proposed collection of information, that the certification
covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a
benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control
number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of
these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked
and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.