2021-01-01
The Financial Regulatory Authority issued Board Resolution No. 146 of 2021 to establish comprehensive regulations governing the deposit, registration, and financial settlement of government securities. The Resolution defines key terms, outlines membership criteria for clearing and settlement members, and mandates the Central Bank of Egypt and a designated central depository company to execute primary market auctions and secondary market trading settlements. It further standardizes delivery-versus-payment (DVP) and free-of-payment (FoP) mechanisms, early redemption procedures, coupon distributions, tax withholdings, and electronic system integration to ensure operational efficiency and transparency across the government financial instruments market.
FINANCIAL REGULATORY AUTHORITY
Chairman of the Authority
Financial Regulatory Authority Board Resolution No. (146) of 2021 dated 29/09/2021 Regarding the Regulations Governing the Deposit and Registration of Government Financial Instruments and Settlement of Financial Positions Arising from Their Trading
The Board of Directors of the Financial Regulatory Authority Having reviewed the Capital Market Law issued by Law No. (95) of 1992; And the Central Deposit and Registration of Financial Instruments Law issued by Law No. (93) of 2000; And Law No. (10) of 2009 regulating supervision over non-banking financial markets and instruments; And after obtaining the opinion of the Central Bank of Egypt and the Ministry of Finance; And after approval by the Authority's Board of Directors in its meeting held on 29/09/2021;
Resolved: (Article 1) Definitions The following words and expressions shall have the meanings set forth beside each of them when applying the provisions of this Resolution: The Authority: The Financial Regulatory Authority. The Company: The Central Deposit and Registration Company for Government Financial Instruments. The Clearing Bank: The Central Bank of Egypt with respect to banks licensed by the CBE, and foreign companies and entities engaged in securities deposit activities, or any of the banks registered with the CBE with respect to other clearing and settlement members. Clearing and Settlement Members: All banks licensed by the CBE, including primary dealers, as well as entities and companies authorized to conduct activities in accordance with the Authority's prevailing rules. Execution Day: The day on which trading operations are executed. Settlement Day: Shall be a maximum of five working days as agreed upon by the parties to the transaction.
Client: Any person, natural or legal, who invests in government financial instruments through a clearing and settlement member. (Beneficial Owner) Early Redemption: The request by the issuer of the government financial instrument (Ministry of Finance) for repayment of part or all of the value of the instrument, as applicable, on a date prior to the actual maturity date stated in the issuance circular.
(Article 2) Central Deposit and Registration Rules for Government Financial Instruments The Central Bank of Egypt, in its capacity as agent for the Government, conducts the issuance operations of government financial instruments, and the Company performs the registration and deposit of these instruments after the Central Bank conducts auctions in the issuance market (primary market), provided that the registration and deposit process includes all data and information related to the issuance of the financial instrument, as well as the registered owner and beneficial owner data for each government financial instrument. The Company's Board of Directors establishes the executive procedures for depositing government financial instruments, as well as execution requirements, data, and documents required for registering a financial instrument, steps for verifying the registration process in the deposit system, operating schedules of the central registration and deposit system, methods and tools for connecting clearing and settlement members to the central deposit system, and obligations of clearing and settlement members arising therefrom. This shall not take effect until the Company notifies the Authority thereof, and seven working days elapse without any objection.
(Article 3) Membership Regulations with the Company and Obligations of Clearing and Settlement Members
Clearing and settlement members may be among the following entities:
The clearing and settlement member must possess the standards specified by the Company and approved by the Authority's Board, specifically as follows:
Any person who does not meet the aforementioned rules and standards may obtain central deposit services through a clearing and settlement member. In all cases, the clearing and settlement member is bound by the central deposit rules and procedures, and the Company shall ensure equality among members with similar circumstances, including regarding fees and charges levied and services provided.
The clearing and settlement member is also bound by the following:
(Article 4) Clearing and Settlement Rules and Procedures
First: Basic Principles of the Clearing and Settlement System
Second: Clearing and Settlement Rules for Secondary Market Trading Operations The Company's Board of Directors issues executive procedures for executing financial and paper settlement instructions for government financial instruments, which shall not take effect until the Company notifies the Authority thereof and seven working days elapse without objection. The Company performs financial and paper clearing and settlement through the Delivery Versus Payment (DVP) principle for DVP operations or Free of Payment (FoP) for FoP operations, at the beneficial owner level, debited from the cash accounts of clearing and settlement members with the Clearing Bank. Clearing and settlement operations are conducted as follows:
In all cases, financial and paper settlement is conducted according to the agreed settlement instructions between the parties to the transaction, as submitted by clearing and settlement members and the Egyptian Exchange, respectively. Operations cannot be cancelled or modified once settlement is completed.
Third: The Company's Settlement Mechanism for Certain Operations
(Article 5) Electronic Systems and Connection Steps with Clearing and Settlement Members The Company is obligated to equip electronic systems and connection steps with clearing and settlement members to ensure the completion of settlement and clearing operations for executed transactions on government financial instruments. The Company's Board of Directors shall issue the following:
The regulations and rules issued by the Company's Board of Directors shall not take effect until approved by the Authority's Board of Directors.
(Article 6) This Resolution shall be published in the Egyptian Gazette and on the Authority's website, and shall take effect from the day following its publication in the Egyptian Gazette.
Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Mohamed Omran