CTFC Issues No-Action Letters for Temporary Relief in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

CTFC Issues No-Action Letters for Temporary Relief in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

During the last week, the CFTC issued several no-action letters aimed at providing temporary relief from certain recordkeeping, operations requirements, and some reporting deadlines as summarized in the table below.

In addition, the CFTC offers a coronavirus-focused webpage, cftc.gov/coronavirus, which includes eight of the nine No-Action letters as well as a Customer Advisory to raise awareness of potential scams during this turbulent time.

Finally, CFTC Chairman Heath Tarbert recently published an op-ed covering his thoughts on the pandemic and market volatility. It can be read by clicking here.

REGISTRANT	SUMMARY*	CITATION
DCMs and SEFs	Relief from time-stamps until June 30, 2020 if responsible personnel is absent. A recording of date/time is still required to be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-02
FCMs and IBs	Relief from recording oral communications until June 30, 2020 if personnel required to use recorded lines are absent from their normal business site. A written record of the communication, with date/time and other key information must be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-03
FCMs and IBs	Relief from time-stamps until June 30, 2020 if responsible personnel is absent. A recording of date/time is still required to be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-03
FCMs and IBs	Relief of CCO Annual Report to the Commission no later than 30 days after the report was due, for any report due to the Commission prior to September 1, 2020.	CFTC Letter No. 20-03
FBs	Relief from recording oral communications until June 30, 2020 if personnel required to use recorded lines are absent from their normal business site. A written record of the communication, with date/time and other key information must be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-04
FBs	Relief from time-stamps until June 30, 2020 if responsible personnel is absent. A recording of date/time is still required to be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-04
FBs	Relief to FB from physical location provided by contract market if FB’s written BCP requires FB’s absence.	CFTC Letter No. 20-04
FBs	Relief from Introducing Broker’s registration solely due to FB’s absence if FB’s written BCP requires FB’s absence.	CFTC Letter No. 20-04
RFEDs	Relief from recording oral communications until June 30, 2020 if personnel required to use recorded lines are absent from their normal business site. A written record of the communication, with date/time and other key information must be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-05
RFEDs	Relief from time-stamps until June 30, 2020 if responsible personnel is absent. A recording of date/time is still required to be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-05
SDs	Relief from recording oral communications until June 30, 2020 if personnel required to use recorded lines are absent from their normal business site. A written record of the communication, with date/time and other key information must be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-06
SDs	Relief from time-stamps until June 30, 2020 if responsible personnel is absent. A recording of date/time is still required to be maintained.	CFTC Letter No. 20-06
SDs	Relief of CCO Annual Report to the Commission no later than 30 days after the report was due, for any report due to the Commission prior to September 1, 2020.	CFTC Letter No. 20-06
SEFs	Relief until June 30, 2020, for the failure to comply with the following Commission regulations: 37.205(a)-(b), 37.400(b), 37.406, 37.1000(a)(1), and 37.1001 to the extent that non-compliance arises from the inability of SEFs to record voice communications as a result of the displacement of voice trading personnel from their normal business sites in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic response. Seven conditions accompany this relief in the letter.	CFTC Letter No. 20-07
SEFs or SEF CCOs	Relief for a 60-day period for failure to submit an ACR pursuant to regulation 37.1501(f)(2), if ACR is due prior to September 1, 2020 and ACR is submitted no later than 120 days after the end of SEFs fiscal year.	CFTC Letter No. 20-08
SEFs or SEF CCOs	Relief for a 60-day period for filing fourth-quarter financial reports pursuant to regulation 37.1306(d), due prior to September 1, 2020 and no later than 120 days after the SEF’s fiscal year.	CFTC Letter No. 20-08
DCMs	Relief until June 30, 2020, from certain audit trail requirements pursuant to CEA sections 5(d)(4) and (10). Three conditions accompany this relief in the letter. Further, relief is subject to self-regulatory functions and compensating controls should be implemented.	CFTC Letter No. 20-09
CPOs	Relief until May 15, 2020, for filing an annual report on form CPO-PQR pursuant to regulation 4.27 for Small or Mid-Sized CPOs; and, Relief until July 15, 2020, for filing Q1 2020 report on form CPO-PQR pursuant to regulation 4.27 for Large CPOs.	CFTC Letter No. 20-11
CPOs	Relief for 45 days after the due date for filing Pool annual reports with the NFA and distributing certified financial statements to pool participants, pursuant to regulations 4.7(b)(3) and 4.22(c), for reports due on or before April 30, 2020.	CFTC Letter No. 20-11
CPOs	Relief for 45 days after the end of the reporting period for distributing monthly or quarterly participant pool statements, pursuant to regulations 4.7(b)(2) or 4.22(b)(3), due on or before April 30, 2020.	CFTC Letter No. 20-11

 

*This summary is a quick highlight of the No-Action letters published this week. Not all details are included in this summary. Please review the entire corresponding No-Action letters for complete additional details. If you have any questions about how these CFTC actions are affecting your firm, reach out and contact us.