2014-07-22
Added
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network proposes to impose the fifth special measure under Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act against FBME Bank Ltd., defining it as a financial institution of primary money laundering concern. The proposed rule prohibits covered financial institutions from establishing, maintaining, administering, or managing any correspondent account for or on behalf of FBME. Additionally, covered institutions must apply special due diligence to all foreign correspondent accounts to guard against processing transactions involving FBME, including notifying foreign correspondent account holders that they may not provide FBME with access to such accounts. Written comments on this notice of proposed rulemaking must be submitted on or before September 22, 2014.
42486 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 140 / Tuesday, July 22, 2014 / Proposed Rules II. Standards for Aeronautical Use of Hangars • Hangars located on airport property must be used for an aeronautical purpose, or be available for use for one, unless otherwise approved by the FAA. • Aeronautical uses for hangars include: Æ Storage of operational aircraft Æ Final assembly of aircraft Æ Short-term storage of non-operational aircraft for purposes of maintenance, repair, or refurbishment • Provided the hangar is used primarily for aeronautical purposes, an airport sponsor may permit limited, non-aeronautical items to be stored in hangars provided the items are incidental to aeronautical use of the hangar and occupy an insignificant amount of hangar space (e.g., a small refrigerator). The incidental storage of non-aeronautical items will be considered to be of de minimis value for the purpose of assessing rent. • Generally, items are considered incidental if they: Æ Do not interfere with the aeronautical use of the hangar; Æ Do not displace the aeronautical contents of the hangar; Æ Do not impede access to aircraft or other aeronautical contents of the hangar; Æ Do not require a larger hangar than would otherwise be necessary if such items were not present; Æ Occupy an insignificant amount of hangar space; Æ Are owned by the hangar owner or tenant; Æ Are not used for non-aeronautical commercial purposes (i.e., the tenant is not conducting a non-aeronautical business from the hangar including storing inventory); Æ Are not stored in violation of airport rules and regulations. • Hangars should be leased with consideration of the size and quantity of aircraft to be stored therein. To maximize the availability of hangars for all aeronautical users, sponsors should avoid leasing a hangar that is disproportionately large for the aircraft to be stored in the hangar (i.e., hangars built to store multiple aircraft should be used for multiple aircraft storage). • Hangars must not be used as a residence. The FAA differentiates between a typical pilot resting facility or aircrew quarters versus a hangar residence or hangar home. The former are designed to be used for overnight and/or resting periods for aircrew, and not as a permanent or even temporary residence. See FAA Order 5190.6B, Paragraph 20.5.b. • This policy on hangar use applies regardless of whether the hangar occupant leases the hangar from the airport sponsor or developer, or the hangar occupant constructed the hangar at their own expense and holds a ground lease only. When designated aeronautical land is made available for construction of hangars, the hangars built on the land will be fully subject to the sponsor’s obligations to use aeronautical facilities for aeronautical use. III. Approval for Non-Aeronautical Use of Hangars Where hangars are unoccupied and there is no current aviation demand for hangar space, the airport sponsor may request that FAA approve an interim use of a hangar for non-aeronautical purposes for a period no more than five years. Interim leases of unused hangars can generate revenue for the airport and prevent deterioration of facilities. FAA will review the request in accordance with Order 5190.6B, ¶ 22.6. Approved interim or concurrent revenueproduction uses must not interfere with safe and efficient airport operations and sponsors should only agree to lease terms that allow the hangars to be recovered on short notice for aeronautical purposes. The airport sponsor is required to charge non-aeronautical fair market rental fees for the non-aeronautical use of airport property, even on an interim basis. (See Policies and Procedures Concerning Airport Revenue, § VII.C.) IV. No Right to Non-Aeronautical Use In the context of enforcement of the grant assurances, this policy allows some incidental storage of nonaeronautical items in hangars. However, the policy neither creates nor constitutes a right to store nonaeronautical items in hangars. Airport sponsors may restrict or prohibit storage of non-aeronautical items. Sponsors should consider factors such as emergency access, fire codes, security, insurance, and the impact of vehicular traffic on their surface areas when enacting rules regarding hangar storage. In some cases, permitting certain incidental non-aeronautical items in hangars could inhibit the sponsor’s ability to meet obligations associated with grant assurance 19, Operations and Maintenance. Sponsors should ensure that taxiways and runways are not used for the vehicular transport of such items to or from the hangars. V. Sponsor Compliance Actions It is expected that aeronautical facilities on an airport will be available and used for aeronautical purposes in the normal course of airport business, and that non-aeronautical uses will be the exception. Sponsors should have a program to routinely monitor use of hangars and take measures to eliminate and prevent unapproved nonaeronautical use of hangars. Sponsors should ensure that length of time on a waiting list of those legitimately in need of a hangar for aircraft storage is minimized. Sponsors should also consider incorporating provisions in airport leases, including aeronautical leases, to adjust rental rates to FMV for any non-incidental non-aeronautical use of the leased facilities. FAA personnel conducting a land use or compliance inspection of an airport may request a copy of the sponsor’s hangar use program and evidence that the sponsor has limited hangars to aviation use. Issued in Washington, DC, on July 15, 2014. Randall S. Fiertz, Director, Office of Airport Compliance and Management Analysis. [FR Doc. 2014–17031 Filed 7–21–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Financial Crimes Enforcement Network 31 CFR Part 1010 RIN 1506–AB27 Imposition of Special Measure Against FBME Bank Ltd., Formerly Known as Federal Bank of the Middle East, Ltd., as a Financial Institution of Primary Money Laundering Concern AGENCY: Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (‘‘FinCEN’’), Treasury. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking. SUMMARY: In a finding, notice of which is published elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register (‘‘Notice of Finding’’), the Director of FinCEN found that FBME Bank Ltd. (‘‘FBME’’), formerly known as Federal Bank of the Middle East, Ltd., is a financial institution operating outside of the United States that is of primary money laundering concern. FinCEN is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking (‘‘NPRM’’) to propose the imposition of a special measure against FBME. DATES: Written comments on this NPRM must be submitted on or before September 22, 2014. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by 1506–AB27, by any of the following methods: VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:55 Jul 21, 2014 Jkt 232001 PO 00000 Frm 00023 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\22JYP1.SGM 22JYP1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 140 / Tuesday, July 22, 2014 / Proposed Rules 42487 • Federal E-rulemaking Portal: http:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. Include 1506–AB27 in the submission. • Mail: The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, P.O. Box 39, Vienna, VA 22183. Include 1506–AB27 in the body of the text. Please submit comments by one method only. • Comments submitted in response to this NPRM will become a matter of public record. Therefore, you should submit only information that you wish to make publicly available. Inspection of comments: Public comments received electronically or through the U.S. Postal Service sent in response to a notice and request for comment will be made available for public review on http:// www.regulations.gov. Comments received may be physically inspected in the FinCEN reading room located in Vienna, Virginia. Reading room appointments are available weekdays (excluding holidays) between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., by calling the Disclosure Officer at (703) 905–5034 (not a toll-free call). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The FinCEN Resource Center at (800) 767– 2825. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Statutory Provisions On October 26, 2001, the President signed into law the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (the ‘‘USA PATRIOT Act’’), Public Law 107– 56. Title III of the USA PATRIOT Act amends the anti-money laundering provisions of the Bank Secrecy Act (‘‘BSA’’), codified at 12 U.S.C. 1829b, 12 U.S.C. 1951–1959, and 31 U.S.C. 5311– 5314, 5316–5332, to promote the prevention, detection, and prosecution of international money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Regulations implementing the BSA appear at 31 CFR Chapter X. The authority of the Secretary of the Treasury (the ‘‘Secretary’’) to administer the BSA and its implementing regulations has been delegated to the Director of FinCEN. Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act (‘‘Section 311’’), codified at 31 U.S.C. 5318A, grants the Director of FinCEN the authority, upon finding that reasonable grounds exist for concluding that a foreign jurisdiction, institution, class of transaction, or type of account is of ‘‘primary money laundering concern,’’ to require domestic financial institutions and financial agencies to take certain ‘‘special measures’’ to address the primary money laundering concern. II. Imposition of a Special Measure Against FBME as a Financial Institution of Primary Money Laundering Concern A. Special Measure As noticed elsewhere in this issue of the Federal Register, on July 15, 2014, the Director of FinCEN found that FBME is a financial institution operating outside the United States that is of primary money laundering concern (‘‘Finding’’). Based upon that Finding, the Director of FinCEN is authorized to impose one or more special measures. Following the consideration of all factors relevant to the Finding and to selecting the special measure proposed in this NPRM, the Director of FinCEN proposes to impose the special measure authorized by section 5318A(b)(5) (the ‘‘fifth special measure’’). In connection with this action, FinCEN consulted with representatives of the Federal functional regulators, the Department of Justice, and the Department of State, among others. B. Discussion of Section 311 Factors In determining which special measures to implement to address the primary money laundering concern, FinCEN considered the following factors.
42488 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 140 / Tuesday, July 22, 2014 / Proposed Rules 1See 31 CFR 1010.605(c)(2)(i). 2See 31 CFR 1010.605(c)(2)(ii)–(iv). 3See 31 CFR 1010.605(e)(1). the international payment, clearance, and settlement system. 4. The Effect of the Proposed Action on United States National Security and Foreign Policy The exclusion of FBME from the U.S. financial system as proposed in this NPRM would enhance national security by making it more difficult for money launderers, transnational organized crime, other criminals, sanctions evaders, and terrorists to access the U.S. financial system. More generally, the imposition of the fifth special measure would complement the U.S. Government’s worldwide efforts to expose and disrupt international money laundering and terrorist financing. Therefore, pursuant to the Finding that FBME is a financial institution operating outside of the United States of primary money laundering concern, and after conducting the required consultations and weighing the relevant factors, the Director of FinCEN proposes to impose the fifth special measure. III. Section-by-Section Analysis for Imposition of the Fifth Special Measure A. 1010.661(a)—Definitions
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 140 / Tuesday, July 22, 2014 / Proposed Rules 42489 4Table of Small Business Size Standards Matched to North American Industry Classification System Codes, Small Business Administration Size Standards (SBA Jan. 22, 2014) [hereinafter SBA Size Standards]. 5Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Find an Institution, http://www2.fdic.gov/idasp/main.asp; select Size or Performance: Total Assets, type Equal or less than $: ‘‘500000’’ and select Find. 6National Credit Union Administration, Credit Union Data, http://webapps.ncua.gov/ customquery\select Search Fields: Total Assets, select Operator: Less than or equal to, type Field Values: ‘‘500000000’’ and select Go. 7 17 CFR 240.0–10(c). FBME. The purpose of the notice requirement is to aid cooperation with correspondent account holders in preventing transactions involving FBME from accessing the U.S. financial system. However, FinCEN would not require or expect a covered financial institution to obtain a certification from any of its correspondent account holders that access will not be provided to comply with this notice requirement. Methods of compliance with the notice requirement could include, for example, transmitting a one-time notice by mail, fax, or email. FinCEN specifically solicits comments on the form and scope of the notice that would be required under the rule. The special due diligence would also include implementing risk-based procedures designed to identify any use of correspondent accounts to process transactions involving FBME. A covered financial institution would be expected to apply an appropriate screening mechanism to identify a funds transfer order that on its face listed FBME as the financial institution of the originator or beneficiary, or otherwise referenced FBME in a manner detectable under the financial institution’s normal screening mechanisms. An appropriate screening mechanism could be the mechanism used by a covered financial institution to comply with various legal requirements, such as the commercially available software programs used to comply with the economic sanctions programs administered by OFAC. A covered financial institution would also be required to implement riskbased procedures to identify indirect use of its correspondent accounts, including through methods used to hide the beneficial owner of a transaction. Specifically, FinCEN is concerned that FBME may attempt to disguise its transactions by relying on types of payments and accounts that would not explicitly identify FBME as an involved party. A financial institution may develop a suspicion of such misuse based on other information in its possession, patterns of transactions, or any other method available to it based on its existing systems. Under the proposed rule, a covered financial institution that suspects or has reason to suspect use of a correspondent account to process transactions involving FBME must take all appropriate steps to attempt to verify and prevent such use, including a notification to its correspondent account holder per section 1010.661(b)(2)(i)(A) requesting further information regarding a transaction, requesting corrective action to address the perceived risk and, where necessary, terminating the correspondent account. A covered financial institution may re-establish an account closed under the rule if it determines that the account will not be used to process transactions involving FBME. FinCEN specifically solicits comments on the requirement under the proposed rule that covered financial institutions take reasonable steps to prevent any processing of transactions involving FBME. 3. Recordkeeping and Reporting Section 1010.661(b)(3) of the proposed rule would clarify that subsection (b) of the rule does not impose any reporting requirement upon any covered financial institution that is not otherwise required by applicable law or regulation. A covered financial institution must, however, document its compliance with the requirement that it notify those correspondent account holders that the covered financial institution knows or has reason to know provide services to FBME that such correspondents may not process any transaction involving FBME through the correspondent account maintained at the covered financial institution. IV. Request for Comments FinCEN invites comments on all aspects of the proposal to impose the fifth special measure against FBME and specifically invites comments on the following matters:
42490 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 140 / Tuesday, July 22, 2014 / Proposed Rules 8 76 FR 37572, 37602 (June 27, 2011) (the SEC estimates 871 small broker-dealers of the 5,063 total registered broker-dealers). 9 47 FR 18618, 18619 (Apr. 30, 1982). 10SBA Size Standards at 28. 11 17 CFR 270.0–10. 12 78 FR 23637, 23658 (April 19, 2013). as ‘‘small’’ entities for purposes of the RFA.8 Futures commission merchants (‘‘FCMs’’) are defined in 31 CFR 1010.100(x) as those FCMs that are registered or required to be registered as a FCM with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (‘‘CFTC’’) under the Commodity Exchange Act (‘‘CEA’’), except persons who register pursuant to section 4f(a)(2) of the CEA, 7 U.S.C. 6f(a)(2). Because FinCEN and the CFTC regulate substantially the same population, for the purposes of the RFA, FinCEN relies on the CFTC’s definition of small business as previously submitted to the SBA. In the CFTC’s ‘‘Policy Statement and Establishment of Definitions of ‘Small Entities’ for Purposes of the Regulatory Flexibility Act,’’ the CFTC concluded that registered FCMs should not be considered to be small entities for purposes of the RFA.9 The CFTC’s determination in this regard was based, in part, upon the obligation of registered FCMs to meet the capital requirements established by the CFTC. For purposes of the RFA, an introducing broker-commodities dealer is considered small if it has less than $35,500,000 in gross receipts annually.10 Based on information provided by the National Futures Association (‘‘NFA’’), 95 percent of introducing brokers-commodities dealers have less than $35.5 million in Adjusted Net Capital and are considered to be small entities. Mutual funds are defined in 31 CFR 1010.100(gg) as those investment companies that are open-end investment companies that are registered or are required to register with the SEC. Because FinCEN and the SEC regulate substantially the same population, for the purposes of the RFA, FinCEN relies on the SEC’s definition of small business as previously submitted to the SBA. The SEC has defined the term ‘‘small entity’’ under the Investment Company Act to mean ‘‘an investment company that, together with other investment companies in the same group of related investment companies, has net assets of $50 million or less as of the end of its most recent fiscal year.’’ 11 Based on SEC estimates, 7 percent of mutual funds are classified as ‘‘small entities’’ for purposes of the RFA under this definition.12 As noted above, 80 percent of banks, 94 percent of credit unions, 17 percent of broker-dealers, 95 percent of introducing brokers-commodities, zero FCMs, and 7 percent of mutual funds are small entities. The limited number of foreign banking institutions with which FBME maintains or will maintain accounts will likely limit the number of affected covered financial institutions to the largest U.S. banks, which actively engage in international transactions. Thus, the prohibition on maintaining correspondent accounts for foreign banking institutions that engage in transactions involving FBME under the fifth special measure would not impact a substantial number of small entities. 2. Description of the Projected Reporting and Recordkeeping Requirements of the Fifth Special Measure The proposed fifth special measure would require covered financial institutions to provide a notification intended to aid cooperation from foreign correspondent account holders in preventing transactions involving FBME from accessing the U.S. financial system. FinCEN estimates that the burden on institutions providing this notice is one hour. Covered financial institutions would also be required to take reasonable measures to detect use of their correspondent accounts to process transactions involving FBME. All U.S. persons, including U.S. financial institutions, currently must exercise some degree of due diligence to comply with OFAC sanctions and suspicious activity reporting requirements. The tools used for such purposes, including commercially available software used to comply with the economic sanctions programs administered by OFAC, can easily be modified to identify correspondent accounts with foreign banks that involve FBME. Thus, the special due diligence that would be required by the imposition of the fifth special measure—i.e., the one-time transmittal of notice to certain correspondent account holders, the screening of transactions to identify any use of correspondent accounts, and the implementation of risk-based measures to detect use of correspondent accounts—would not impose a significant additional economic burden upon small U.S. financial institutions. B. Certification For these reasons, FinCEN certifies that the proposals contained in this rulemaking would have a significant impact on a substantial number of small businesses. FinCEN invites comments from members of the public who believe there would be a significant economic impact on small entities from the imposition of the fifth special measure regarding FBME. VI. Paperwork Reduction Act The collection of information contained in this proposed rule is being submitted to the Office of Management and Budget for review in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3507(d)). Comments on the collection of information should be sent to the Desk Officer for the Department of Treasury, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (1506), Washington, DC 20503 (or by email to oira submission@omb.eop.gov) with a copy to FinCEN by mail or email at the addresses previously specified. Comments should be submitted by one method only. Comments on the collection of information should be received by September 22, 2014. In accordance with the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act and its implementing regulations, 5 CFR 1320, the following information concerning the collection of information as required by 31 CFR 1010.661 is presented to assist those persons wishing to comment on the information collection. A. Proposed Information Collection Under the Fifth Special Measure The notification requirement in section 1010.661(b)(2)(i) is intended to aid cooperation from correspondent account holders in denying FBME access to the U.S. financial system. The information required to be maintained by section 1010.661(b)(3)(i) would be used by federal agencies and certain self-regulatory organizations to verify compliance by covered financial institutions with the provisions of 31 CFR 1010.661. The collection of information would be mandatory. Description of Affected Financial Institutions: Banks, broker-dealers in securities, futures commission merchants and introducing brokerscommodities, and mutual funds. Estimated Number of Affected Financial Institutions: 5,000. Estimated Average Annual Burden in Hours Per Affected Financial Institution: The estimated average burden associated with the collection of information in this proposed rule is one hour per affected financial institution. Estimated Total Annual Burden: 5,000 hours. FinCEN specifically invites comments on: (a) whether the proposed collection VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:55 Jul 21, 2014 Jkt 232001 PO 00000 Frm 00027 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 4702 E:\FR\FM\22JYP1.SGM 22JYP1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS
Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 140 / Tuesday, July 22, 2014 / Proposed Rules 42491 of information is necessary for the proper performance of the mission of FinCEN, including whether the information would have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of FinCEN’s estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information required to be maintained; (d) ways to minimize the burden of the required collection of information, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and (e) estimates of capital or start-up costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to report the information. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. VII. Executive Order 12866 Executive Orders 12866 and 13563 direct agencies to assess costs and benefits of available regulatory alternatives and, if regulation is necessary, to select regulatory approaches that maximize net benefits (including potential economic, environmental, public health and safety effects, distributive impacts, and equity). Executive Order 13563 emphasizes the importance of quantifying both costs and benefits, of reducing costs, of harmonizing rules, and of promoting flexibility. It has been determined that the proposed rule is not a ‘‘significant regulatory action’’ for purposes of Executive Order 12866. List of Subjects in 31 CFR Part 1010 Administrative practice and procedure, banks and banking, brokers, counter-money laundering, counterterrorism, foreign banking. Authority and Issuance For the reasons set forth in the preamble, part 1010, chapter X of title 31 of the Code of Federal Regulations, is proposed to be amended as follows:
Correction In the proposed rule published at 79 FR 41172, dated July 15, 2014, make the following correction to the Public Meeting Date section. Public Meeting Date: The public meeting will be held at the Mark Center Auditorium, 4800 Mark Center Drive, Alexandria, VA 22350–3603, on August 18, 2014, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., local time. Amy G. Williams, Deputy, Defense Acquisition Regulations System. [FR Doc. 2014–17216 Filed 7–21–14; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 5001–06–P VerDate Mar<15>2010 15:55 Jul 21, 2014 Jkt 232001 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 4702 Sfmt 9990 E:\FR\FM\22JYP1.SGM 22JYP1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with PROPOSALS