Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-73not60
§7a–2 Common Provisions Applicable to Registered Entities
Title 7 › Chapter 1— COMMODITY EXCHANGES › § 7a–2
Summary
The Commission may write or approve plain explanations of two parts of the law so people know what business practices are acceptable. Those explanations can be the only allowed way to follow those parts. A contract market, derivatives trading platform, or electronic trading facility may hire a registered futures association or another registered entity (not an electronic trading facility) to do some required tasks for important price-discovery contracts. Even when they hire someone, the market or platform stays responsible and must fix any problems quickly if the hired party is not doing the work right. A registered entity can self-certify new contracts, instruments, clearing arrangements, or rules by sending a written certification to the Commission (and to the Secretary of the Treasury for government-security futures). The certified rule or product becomes effective 10 business days after the Commission gets the notice unless the Commission stays it because of novel or complex issues, an inadequate explanation, or a possible conflict with the law. The Commission’s stay can last up to 90 more days. If the Commission stays a certification, it must allow at least a 30-day public comment period during that stay. A registered entity can also ask the Commission for prior approval. A designated contract market must get prior approval for rule changes that materially change listed contracts for certain named commodities if those contracts and delivery months already have open interest. The Commission must act on prior-approval requests within 90 days unless the applicant agrees to more time. The Commission will approve new rules or contracts unless they conflict with or would violate the law. For swaps tied to events or contingencies in excluded commodities, the Commission can block listings it finds against the public interest for things like unlawful acts, terrorism, assassination, war, gaming, or similar matters. The Commission may review a clearinghouse’s ability to clear a swap, including its financial soundness, and must finish such reviews within 90 days unless extended. The Commission’s emergency powers are not affected. Markets must also make rules to avoid duplicate or conflicting rules for firms that are registered with both the Commission and the SEC for security futures.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §7a–2
Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)(1)Consistent with the purposes of this chapter, the Commission may issue interpretations, or approve interpretations submitted to the Commission, of section 7(d) and 7a–1(c)(2) of this title, to describe what would constitute an acceptable business practice under such sections.
(2)An interpretation issued under paragraph (1) may provide the exclusive means for complying with each section described in paragraph (1).
(b)(1)A contract market, derivatives transaction execution facility, or electronic trading facility with respect to a significant price discovery contract may comply with any applicable core principle through delegation of any relevant function to a registered futures association or a registered entity that is not an electronic trading facility.
(2)A contract market, derivatives transaction execution facility, or electronic trading facility that delegates a function under paragraph (1) shall remain responsible for carrying out the function.
(3)If a contract market, derivatives transaction execution facility, or electronic trading facility that delegates a function under paragraph (1) becomes aware that a delegated function is not being performed as required under this chapter, the contract market, derivatives transaction execution facility, or electronic trading facility shall promptly take steps to address the noncompliance.
(c)(1)A registered entity may elect to list for trading or accept for clearing any new contract, or other instrument, or may elect to approve and implement any new rule or rule amendment, by providing to the Commission (and the Secretary of the Treasury, in the case of a contract of sale of a government security for future delivery (or option on such a contract) or a rule or rule amendment specifically related to such a contract) a written certification that the new contract or instrument or clearing of the new contract or instrument, new rule, or rule amendment complies with this chapter (including regulations under this chapter).
(2)The new rule or rule amendment described in paragraph (1) shall become effective, pursuant to the certification of the registered entity and notice of such certification to its members (in a manner to be determined by the Commission), on the date that is 10 business days after the date on which the Commission receives the certification (or such shorter period as determined by the Commission by rule or regulation) unless the Commission notifies the registered entity within such time that it is staying the certification because there exist novel or complex issues that require additional time to analyze, an inadequate explanation by the submitting registered entity, or a potential inconsistency with this chapter (including regulations under this chapter).
(3)(A)A notification by the Commission pursuant to paragraph (2) shall stay the certification of the new rule or rule amendment for up to an additional 90 days from the date of the notification.
(B)A rule or rule amendment subject to a stay pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall become effective, pursuant to the certification of the registered entity, at the expiration of the period described in subparagraph (A) unless the Commission—
(i)withdraws the stay prior to that time; or
(ii)notifies the registered entity during such period that it objects to the proposed certification on the grounds that it is inconsistent with this chapter (including regulations under this chapter).
(C)The Commission shall provide a not less than 30-day public comment period, within the 90-day period in which the stay is in effect as described in subparagraph (A), whenever the Commission reviews a rule or rule amendment pursuant to a notification by the Commission under this paragraph.
(4)(A)A registered entity may request that the Commission grant prior approval to any new contract or other instrument, new rule, or rule amendment.
(B)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a designated contract market shall submit to the Commission for prior approval each rule amendment that materially changes the terms and conditions, as determined by the Commission, in any contract of sale for future delivery of a commodity specifically enumerated in section 1a(10) 11 So in original. Probably should be “section 1a(9)”. of this title (or any option thereon) traded through its facilities if the rule amendment applies to contracts and delivery months which have already been listed for trading and have open interest.
(C)If prior approval is requested under subparagraph (A), the Commission shall take final action on the request not later than 90 days after submission of the request, unless the person submitting the request agrees to an extension of the time limitation established under this subparagraph.
(5)(A)The Commission shall approve a new rule, or rule amendment, of a registered entity unless the Commission finds that the new rule, or rule amendment, is inconsistent with this chapter (including regulations).
(B)The Commission shall approve a new contract or other instrument unless the Commission finds that the new contract or other instrument would violate this chapter (including regulations).
(C)(i)In connection with the listing of agreements, contracts, transactions, or swaps in excluded commodities that are based upon the occurrence, extent of an occurrence, or contingency (other than a change in the price, rate, value, or levels of a commodity described in section 1a(2)(i) 22 So in original. There is no section “1a(2)(i)” in this title. of this title), by a designated contract market or swap execution facility, the Commission may determine that such agreements, contracts, or transactions are contrary to the public interest if the agreements, contracts, or transactions involve—
(I)activity that is unlawful under any Federal or State law;
(II)terrorism;
(III)assassination;
(IV)war;
(V)gaming; or
(VI)other similar activity determined by the Commission, by rule or regulation, to be contrary to the public interest.
(ii)No agreement, contract, or transaction determined by the Commission to be contrary to the public interest under clause (i) may be listed or made available for clearing or trading on or through a registered entity.
(iii)(I)In connection with the listing of a swap for clearing by a derivatives clearing organization, the Commission shall determine, upon request or on its own motion, the initial eligibility, or the continuing qualification, of a derivatives clearing organization to clear such a swap under those criteria, conditions, or rules that the Commission, in its discretion, determines.
(II)Any such criteria, conditions, or rules shall consider—
(aa)the financial integrity of the derivatives clearing organization; and
(bb)any other factors which the Commission determines may be appropriate.
(iv)The Commission shall take final action under clauses (i) and (ii) in not later than 90 days from the commencement of its review unless the party seeking to offer the contract or swap agrees to an extension of this time limitation.
(d)
(e)Nothing in this section shall limit or in any way affect the emergency powers of the Commission provided in section 12a(9) of this title.
(f)Consistent with this chapter, each designated contract market and registered derivatives transaction execution facility shall issue such rules as are necessary to avoid duplicative or conflicting rules applicable to any futures commission merchant registered with the Commission pursuant to section 6f(a) of this title (except paragraph (2) thereof), that is also registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to section 78o(b) of title 15 (except paragraph (11) thereof) with respect to the application of—
(1)rules of such designated contract market or registered derivatives transaction execution facility of the type specified in section 6d(e) of this title involving security futures products; and
(2)similar rules of national securities associations registered pursuant to section 78o–3(a) of title 15 and national securities exchanges registered pursuant to section 78f(g) of title 15 involving security futures products.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Editorial Notes
References in Text
This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(5)(A), was in the original “this subtitle”, and was translated as reading “this Act” to reflect the probable intent of Congress. Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical
Amendments
to this section. The
Amendments
by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.
Amendments
2010—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–203, § 749(c)(1), struck out “, 7a(d),” after “7(d)” and “and section 2(h)(7) of this title with respect to significant price discovery contracts,” before “to describe”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–203, § 745(a), added par. (2) and struck out former par. (2). Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “An interpretation issued under paragraph (1) shall not provide the exclusive means for complying with such sections.” Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–203, § 745(b), added subsec. (c) and struck out former subsec. (c) which related to new contracts, new rules, and rule
Amendments
and Commission approval upon certification of compliance with this chapter. Subsec. (c)(1). Pub. L. 111–203, § 717(d), designated existing provisions as subpar. (A), inserted heading, and added subpar. (B). Subsec. (c)(2)(B). Pub. L. 111–203, § 721(e)(7), substituted “section 1a(9)” for “section 1a(4)”. Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–203, § 745(c), struck out subsec. (d) which related to violation of core principles. Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 111–203, § 749(c)(2), substituted “section 6d(e) of this title” for “section 6d(c) of this title”. 2008—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, § 13203(i), which directed amendment of par. (1) by inserting “, and section 2(h)(7) of this title with respect to significant price discovery contracts,” after “, and 7a–1(d)(2) of this title”, was executed by making the insertion after “, and 7a–1(c)(2) of this title” to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening amendment by Pub. L. 110–246, § 13105(e). See below. Pub. L. 110–246, § 13105(e), substituted “7a–1(c)(2)” for “7a–1(d)(2)”. Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, § 13203(j)(1), added par. (1) and struck out heading and text of former par. (1). Text read as follows: “A contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility may comply with any applicable core principle through delegation of any relevant function to a registered futures association or another registered entity.” Subsec. (b)(2), (3). Pub. L. 110–246, § 13203(j)(2), (3), substituted “contract market, derivatives transaction execution facility, or electronic trading facility” for “contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility” wherever appearing. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, § 13203(k), which directed amendment of par. (1) by inserting “or 2(h)(7)(C) of this title with respect to a significant price discovery contract traded or executed on an electronic trading facility,” after “7a–1(d)(2)”, was executed by making the insertion after “7a–1(c)(2)” in introductory provisions to reflect the probable intent of Congress and the intervening amendment by Pub. L. 110–246, § 13105(e). See below. Pub. L. 110–246, § 13105(e), substituted “7a–1(c)(2)” for “7a–1(d)(2)” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (f)(1). Pub. L. 110–246, § 13105(f), substituted “6d(c)” for “6d(3)”. 2000—Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(5) [title II, § 251(h)], added subsec. (f).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date
of 2010 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–203 effective on the later of 360 days after July 21, 2010, or, to the extent a provision of subtitle A (§§ 711–754) of title VII of Pub. L. 111–203 requires a rulemaking, not less than 60 days after publication of the final rule or regulation implementing such provision of subtitle A, see section 754 of Pub. L. 111–203, set out as a note under section 1a of this title.
Effective Date
of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, except as otherwise provided, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an
Effective Date
note under section 8701 of this title. Amendment by section 13203(i)–(k) of Pub. L. 110–246 effective June 18, 2008, see section 13204(a) of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as a note under section 2 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
7 U.S.C. § 7a–2
Title 7, Agriculture
Last Updated
Apr 3, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60