66 FR 219 pgs. 56869-56870 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Depository Trust Company; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Implementation of the Global Corporate Action Hub Service
Type: NOTICEVolume: 66Number: 219Pages: 56869 - 56870
Docket number: [Release No. 34-45025; File No. SR-DTC-2001-04]
FR document: [FR Doc. 01-28278 Filed 11-9-01; 8:45 am]
Agency: Securities and Exchange Commission
Official PDF Version: PDF Version
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[Release No. 34-45025; File No. SR-DTC-2001-04]
Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Depository Trust Company; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating to the Implementation of the Global Corporate Action Hub Service
November 5, 2001.
Pursuant to section 19(b)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act")1, notice is hereby given that on March 30, 2001, The Depository Trust Company ("DTC") filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission") the proposed rule change as described in Items, I, II, and III below, which items have been prepared primarily by DTC. The Commission is publishing this notice to solicit comments on the proposed rule change from interested parties.
Footnotes:
1 15 U.S.C. 78s(b)(1).
I. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Terms of Substance of the Proposed Rule Change
The purpose of the proposed rule change is to activate the Global Corporate Action Hub ("GCAH"), a new service that will provide efficient means of systemically transmitting corporate actions information and consolidating related messages between investment managers and their multiple custodians.
II. Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
In its filing with the Commission, DTC included statements concerning the purpose of and basis for the proposed rule change and discussed any comments it received on the proposed rule change. The text of these statements may be examined at the places specified in Item IV below. DTC has prepared summaries, set forth in sections (A), (B), and (C) below, of the most significant aspects of these statements.2
Footnotes:
2 The Commission has modified the text of the summaries prepared by DTC.
(A) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement of the Purpose of, and Statutory Basis for, the Proposed Rule Change
DTC proposes to activate GCAH that will provide an efficient means of systemically transmitting corporate actions information and consolidating related messages between investment managers and their multiple custodians using GCAH.
GCAH will (1) Provide a single, automated point of access through a centralized communications conduit for custodians and investment managers; (2) standardize corporate action market practice and embrace the recently released ISO 15022 MT56X message formats; (3) use Internet-based technology to provide easy access to all parties; (4) offer a seamless exchange of information between bank and broker custodians, investment managers and DTC; and (5) enhance service delivery by providing an efficient, industry-wide corporate action processing solution.
Each custodian will create the corporate action message for its recipients, who are investment managers servicing mutual customers. Custodians may, but are not required to, use information supplied by DTC in creating their corporate action message. Regardless of whether or not custodians use information supplied by DTC, custodians remain responsible for the content of the messages. Using event-specific templates with standardized election options, each custodian will provide or validate the terms and conditions, then add account and position information for each customer. GCAH will route these announcements, along with those generated by other custodians, to the specified investment managers. DTC will ensure that mandatory fields are completed but will not edit, change, or validate the terms and conditions of the announcements that remain unique to the custodians.
Each investment manager will receive all of its custodians' (and, where available, DTC's) announcements for a single event on a single display. Investment managers will select their election option for voluntary offers. Investment managers will have the opportunity to make their election decisions for all accounts, for accounts handled by individual custodians, or by customer account, and their election decisions will be sent back to the custodians using GCAH. Investment managers will receive status updates reflecting the state of the message ( e.g., unread).
GCAH contains built-in, real-time status flow monitoring that keeps all parties informed of a transaction's status at all times, with each party seeing changing status indicators that effectively track the progressive stages in the communication process. The GCAH home page includes summary alerts to highlight pending transactions and deadlines with additional protection provided by e-mail alert built into the system that also provide warning messages well in advance of transaction deadlines. Each party, therefore, sees both status indicators and affirmative messages warning of any problem.
Users of GCAH who are not DTC participants will sign an agreement substantially in the form of the agreement attached hereto as Exhibit B to DTC's filing. "Participant Operating Procedures," containing more detailed information about GCAH, are attached hereto as Exhibit C to DTC's filing.
The proposed rule change is consistent with the requirements of section 17A(b)(3)(A) of the Act and the rules and regulations thereunder applicable to DTC because it will increase the speed of data transmission between investment managers and custodians, thereby promoting efficiencies in corporate actions matters.
(B) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Burden on Competition
DTC does not believe that the proposed rule change will impose any burden on competition that is not necessary or appropriate in furtherance of the purposes of the Act, in the public interest, and for the protection of investors.
(C) Self-Regulatory Organization's Statement on Comments on the Proposed Rule Change Received from Members, Participants or Others
Written comments from DTC Participants or others have not been solicited or received on the proposed ruled change.
III. Date of Effectiveness of the Proposed Rule Change and Timing for Commission Action
Within thirty-five days of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal Register, or within such longer period: (i) as the Commission may designate up to ninety days of such date if it finds such longer period to be appropriate and publishes its reasons for so finding or (ii) as to which DTC consents, the Commission will:
(A) by order approve such proposed rule change or
(B) institute proceedings to determine whether the proposed rule change should be disapproved.
IV. Solicitation of Comments
Interested persons are invited to submit written data, views, and arguments concerning the foregoing, including whether the proposed rule change is consistent with the Act. Persons making written submissions should file six copies thereof with the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. Copies of the submission, all subsequent amendments, all written statements with respect to the proposed rule change that are filed with the Commission, and all written communications relating to the proposed rule change between the Commission and any person, other than those that may be withheld from the public in accordance with the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 552, will be available for inspection and copying in the Commission's Public Reference Section, 450 Fifth street, NW, Washington, DC 20549. Copies of such filing also will be available for inspection and copying at the principal office of DTC. All submissions should refer to File No. SR-DTC-2001-04 and should be submitted by December 4, 2001.
For the Commission, by the Division of Market Regulation, pursuant to delegated authority.3
Footnotes:
3 17 CFR 200.30-3(a0(12).
Margaret H. McFarland,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 01-28278 Filed 11-9-01; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-M