CFTC’s Division of Swap Dealer and Intermediary Oversight Issues Time-Limited No-Action Transition for March 1, 2017 Compliance Date for Variation Margin and No-Action Relief From Minimum Transfer Amount Provisions

 

On February 13, 2017, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC“) announced that, between March 1, 2017 and September 1, 2017, it would “not recommend an enforcement action against a swap dealer (SD) for failure to comply with the variation margin requirements for swaps that are subject to a March 1, 2017 compliance date.” Importantly, the CFTC is not delaying the compliance date, but rather providing a “grace period” for compliance.

In the same release, the CFTC announced it would “not recommend an enforcement action against an SD, subject to certain conditions, that does not comply with the minimum transfer amount (MTA) requirements of” two CFTC regulations. Release.