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第二章 美國金融改革法案之「集中結算」要求與例外

第四節 免於「集中結算」要求之最終使用者例外

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小結

Dodd-Frank 法案將過去不受管制之店頭市場衍生性商品納入法律規範,但 創設了部分例外。除了「非標準化」之店頭衍生性交易外,也授權美國財政部依 法案中所要求考量之五項要素,以決定是否排除外匯相關之衍生性商品店頭交易。

財政部基於外匯換匯及遠期外匯兩類契約與其他交換契約之諸多不同,一方面主 張前者之風險在於交割而非結算,故集中結算並無助於降低其主要風險;另一方 面則主張主要風險透過現存之 PVP 交割制度已獲得有效控制,再加上主要之市 場參與者多為金融機構,本已受到審慎監理機關之高度監督等理由,而決定將外 匯換匯及遠期外匯排除於集中結算要求之外。

第四節 免於「集中結算」要求之最終使用者例外

Dodd-Frank 法案中將衍生性商品之市場參與者加以分類,大致區分為交易 商、主要交換契約參與者及最終使用者(end user)等,並給予不同程度之規範。

其中又以對交易商及主要市場參與者兩類交易主體管制最為嚴格,主要因為此兩 類交易主體所占衍生性商品店頭市場交易量極大,與其他交易者間之互相連結也 最為密切,一旦發生問題可能對金融體系造成之影響也最為嚴重。而對於非金融 機構之最終使用者,慮及因集中結算制度可能增加之商業成本考量,法案中明文 豁免此類最終使用者可不受強制集中結算規範之要求。

第一項 相關市場參與者之定義

在 Dodd-Frank 法案中,將各類交換契約市場參與者進行分類,並依其對市 場整體或金融體系穩定性之影響,施加不同程度之規範,其中以對交易商和主要

93 CFTC & SEC, Further Definition of “Swap Dealer,” “Security-Based Swap Dealer,” “Major Swap Participant,” “Major Security-Based Swap Participant” and “Eligible Contract Participant”, FEDERAL REGISTER, Vol.75, No.244, Dec. 21, 2010, 80174.

94 Dodd-Frank Act, §721(a)(21): ―(49) SWAP DEALER- (A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‗swap dealer‘

means any person who-

(i) holds itself out as a dealer in swaps;

(ii) makes a market in swaps;

(iii) regularly enters into swaps with counterparties as an ordinary course of business for its own account; or

(iv) engages in any activity causing the person to be commonly known in the trade as a dealer or market maker in swaps,

provided however, in no event shall an insured depository institution be considered to be a swap dealer to the extent it offers to enter into a swap with a customer in connection with originating a loan with that customer.‖

95 Id.

96 Id. ‖ ……(C) EXCEPTION.—The term ‗swap dealer‘ does not include a person that enters into swaps for such person‘s own account, either individually or in a fiduciary capacity, but not as a part of a regular business.‖

97 Dodd-Frank Act, §§ 721(a)(21): ―……(D) DE MINIMIS EXCEPTION.—The Commission shall exempt from designation as a swap dealer an entity that engages in a de minimis quantity of swap dealing in connection with transactions with or on behalf of its customers. The Commission shall promulgate regulations to establish factors with respect to the making of this determination to exempt.‖, 761(a)(6).

98 Dodd-Frank Act, §721(a)(16): ―……(33) MAJOR SWAP PARTICIPANT.— (A) IN

GENERAL.—The term ‗major swap participant‘ means any person who is not a swap dealer, and—

(i) maintains a substantial position in swaps for any of the major swap categories as determined by the Commission, excluding—

(I) positions held for hedging or mitigating commercial risk; and

(II) positions maintained by any employee benefit plan (or any contract held by such a plan) as defined in paragraphs (3) and (32) of section 3 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. 1002) for the primary purpose of hedging or mitigating any risk directly associated with the operation of the plan;

(ii) whose outstanding swaps create substantial counterparty exposure that could have serious adverse effects on the financial stability of the United States banking system or financial markets; or

(iii)(I) is a financial entity that is highly leveraged relative to the amount of capital it holds and that is not subject to capital requirements established by an appropriate Federal banking agency; and

(II) maintains a substantial position in outstanding swaps in any major swap category as determined by the Commission.‖, §761(a)(6).

99 Dodd-Frank Act, §721(a)(16): ―(B) DEFINITION OF SUBSTANTIAL POSITION.—For purposes of subparagraph (A), the Commission shall define by rule or regulation the term ‗substantial position‘

at the threshold that the Commission determines to be prudent for the effective monitoring,

management, and oversight of entities that are systemically important or can significantly impact the financial system of the United States. In setting the definition under this subparagraph, the Commission shall consider the person‘s relative position in uncleared as opposed to cleared swaps and may take into consideration the value and quality of collateral held against counterparty exposures.‖

100 農業委員會版本之定義為:Sec. 3201: ―…whose outstanding swaps create substantial net counterparty exposure among the aggregate of its counterparties that could expose those counterparties to significant credit losses.‖

101 眾議院版本之定義:Sec. 3307: ―…whose outstanding swaps create substantial net counterparty exposure that could have serious adverse effects on the financial stability of the U.S. banking system or financial markets.‖

102 Congress Record H5248, June 30, 2010.

swpas)、信用(credit swap)、有價證券(equity swaps)、其他商品(other commodity swaps),並分尌此四類交換契約分別依其是否提供擔保,訂出達到「大量」之交

(captive financial affiliates)或其他較小型之金融機構108,可自行選擇是否要透 過結算所結算其交換契約。

103 CFTC & SEC, Further Definition of “Swap Dealer,” “Security-Based Swap Dealer,” “Major Swap Participant,” “Major Security-Based Swap Participant” and “Eligible Contract Participant”, supra note 93, at 80213-80215.

104 Id.

105 Michael Greenberger, Comment Letter to Elizabeth Murphy, Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, and David Stawick, Secretary, Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Further Definition of “Swap Dealer,” “Security-Based Swap Dealer,” “Major Swap Participant,” “Major Security-Based Swap Participant,” and “Eligible Contract Participant” (Feb. 22, 2011), at http://www.michaelgreenberger.com/files/Second-Def-CL.pdf (last visited Sep. 11, 2011).

106 CFTC & SEC, Further Definition of “Swap Dealer,” “Security-Based Swap Dealer,” “Major Swap Participant,” “Major Security-Based Swap Participant” and “Eligible Contract Participant”, supra note 93, at 80215-80218.

107 Id. at 80212, 80218.

108 James Hamilton, Senators Dodd and Lincoln Clarify the End User Exemption in the Derivatives Title of Dodd-Frank, WOLTERS KLUWER CCHFINANCIAL REFORM NEWS CENTER, July 2, 2010, at http://financialreform.wolterskluwerlb.com/2010/07/senators-dodd-and-lincoln-clarify-the-end-user-ex emption-in-the-derivatives-title-of-dodd-frank.html (last visited May 3, 2011).

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Dodd-Frank 法案中關於最終使用者例外之規定

根據 Dodd-Frank 法案之規定,可豁免於集中結算制度之最終使用者,必頇 符合以下三要件:(1)非金融實體(financial entity),(2)該使用者使用交換契 約之目的在於避險或減少商業風險,(3)該使用者通知 CFTC 或 SEC 有關其如 何滿足所締結之不需結算的交換契約內之財務義務109

非金融實體

要件(1)中所指之金融實體,根據 Dodd-Frank 法案之規定係指以下其中之 一:(1)交換契約交易商或主要市場參與者;(2)商品基金(commodity pool)

或私人基金(private fund);(3)退休基金(employment benefit plan);(4)主要 從事 1956 年銀行控股公司法(the Bank Holding Company Act of 1956)第 4 條第 k 項所定義之金融性質活動之人110。凡不屬以上所列者即為「非金融實體」,不 過一些規模較小之銀行、儲蓄協會(savings association)、農業信貸體系之機構

(farm credit system institutions)和信用合作社(credit union)也可因 CFTC 及 SEC 之認定而被排除於金融實體定義外,進而被視為「非金融實體」111。但目前 尚未見到主管機關具體列出那些小型金融機構將被排除於金融實體定義之外。

根據「最終使用者 」例外之規定,援引此例外者不僅原則上必頇是「非金 融實體」,且其交換交易之目的是為避險,同時還必頇「通知」主管機關其如何

109 Dodd-Frank Act, §§723(a)(3): ―……(7) EXCEPTIONS.—(A) IN GENERAL.—The requirements of paragraph (1)(A) shall not apply to a swap if 1 of the counterparties to the swap—

(i) is not a financial entity;

(ii) is using swaps to hedge or mitigate commercial risk; and

(iii) notifies the Commission, in a manner set forth by the Commission, how it generally meets its financial obligations associated with entering into noncleared swaps.‖, §763(a).

110 Dodd-Frank Act, §§723(a)(3), 763(a).

111 Id.

滿足其財務義務。關於通知之方式,Dodd-Frank 法案授權 CFTC 另以子法訂之,

並要求其視必要訂定防止此例外遭濫用之相關規定112

通知主管機關之方式

CFTC 於 2010 年 12 月針對 Dodd-Frank 法案中於此部分之立法要求,提出 修改商品期貨交易法相關規定之提案113。由於如上所述,Dodd-Frank 法案中對 適用最終使用者之要件,包含非金融體、以商業活動避險為目的、以及頇通知主 securities)、或依證券交易法之規定頇定期向 SEC 提交財報者,則需再額外提出 上市公司之交易代碼(SEC Central Index Key number),及該交易對手之董事會

112 Id.

113 CFTC, End-User Exception to Mandatory Clearing of Swaps,FEDERAL REGISTER, Vol. 75, No. 246, 80747-80758, Dec. 23, 2010, at

http://www.cftc.gov/LawRegulation/DoddFrankAct/Rulemakings/DF_11_EndUser/index.htm (last visited June 26, 2011).

114 Id. n14, at 80750. 經 Dodd-Frank 修法後之商品交易法§ 2(h)(7)(D)(i)規定符合最終使用者例外 之人,其子公司在符合下列要件之情況下,亦可適用最終使用者例外:(1)代表本人或作為本人 之代理;(2)為本人或本人非金融實體子公司而使用交換契約來避免或降低商業風險;(3)本身非 交易商、主要交換契約參與者、投資公司、基金(commodity pool)或資產超過 5 百億美元者。

若該子公司之主要業務為替母公司購買租賃設備或製造產品所頇提供融資,且該交換契約係為減 低此融資活動之風險時,亦可免除保證金和集中結算要求。

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已經審查並同意其交換契約交易可不經集中結算115。當選擇援引此例外者非僅交 換契約交易之一方,則所有援引者皆頇提供上述資訊。

要求提供上述資訊以確認「最終使用者例外」之條件是否符合,目的在避免 此例外遭到濫用。而上述資訊中最重要者為第五項─即所謂的「財務義務聲明

(financial obligation notice)」,要求援引此例外者必頇說明如何滿足其交換契約 之財務義務,包括係採用下列何種方式,如:信用加強協定(a written credit support agreement)、經抵押或分離之資產(pledged or segregated assets)、第三人之書面 保證、單純倚賴自身現有之財務資源(available financial resources)、其他116。提 供抵押或分離資產以滿足財務義務之方式雖較不常見於非集中結算的交換契約 交易,但 CFTC 認為此種方式對於某些非金融機構而言可能有其相當之必要性,

特別是相對於流動現金而言,擁有較大量不動產之公司117。至於所謂單純倚賴自 身現有之財務資源,依 CFTC 之解釋,可包含現存之資產、投資、現金餘額、營 運用現金、長短期信用、以及資本市場融資等118

避免或降低商業風險

CFTC 於上述管理規則草案第 39.6 條之(c)項,進一步定義何謂「避免或降 低商業風險」,由於 CFTC 與 SEC 必頇會商定義的法規名詞之一:「市場主要參 與者」已含有必頇定義之「避險」概念,故 CFCT 於此表明為求法規之統一解釋,

其此處所提之文字定義與其建議 SEC 關於「主要市場參與者」之避險意涵完全 相同。不過因為主要市場參與者之定義,並未考量到子公司(affiliate)之避險,

相對地,「最終使用者例外」卻對非金融實體之子公司援引「最終使用者例外」

115 Id. at 80757.

116 Id.

117 Id. at 80749.

118 Id.

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定有額外的條件,因此 CFTC 強調這些要件也必頇滿足119

根據 CFTC 管理規則第 39.6 (c)草案之規定,當交換契約不是用來為了投機、

投資、交易本質之目的,也不是用來規避另一個交換契約之風險(除非另一個交 換契約是用來規避此處所謂之商業風險),同時又符合下列三種情況,則交換交 易會被視為是用來規避或降低商業風險120

(1) 在經營與管理商業企業時,以交換契約降低來自以下六種情況之風險是經濟 上適合的:

(i)一個人所擁有、生產、製造、加工或銷售(owns, produces, manufactures, processes, or merchandises)之資產,或企業在一般營業活動中合理預期將擁有、

生產、製造、加工或銷售之資產,其價值之可能變動。

(ii)一個人的債務、或企業在一般營業活動中合理預期會產生之債務,其價 值之可能變動。

(iii)一個人所提供或購買之服務,或企業在一般營業活動中合理預期會提供 或購買之服務,其價值之可能變動。

(iv)一個人所擁有、生產、製造、加工、承租或銷售之資產、服務、原料(inputs)、

(iv)一個人所擁有、生產、製造、加工、承租或銷售之資產、服務、原料(inputs)、