DORA – ESAs Publish Draft Technical Standards on ICT Subcontracting
On 26 July 2024, the European Supervisory Authorities (EBA, EIOPA and ESMA, collectively, the “ESAs”) published their joint final report on the draft Regulatory Technical Standards (“RTS”) specifying the elements that a financial entity should determine and assess when subcontracting ICT services supporting critical or important functions under Article 30(5) of the Digital Operational Resilience Act (“DORA”). The RTS are intended to assist with the enhancement of the digital operational resilience of the financial services sector by improving in-scope entities’ ICT risk management, specifically with respect to the issue of ICT subcontracting.
U.S. SEC Regulation S-P: Privacy of Consumer Financial Information and Safeguarding Customer Information Amendments Adopted
On May 16, 2024, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) adopted amendments to its Regulation S-P. These final amendments impose significant cybersecurity requirements for several SEC-registered entities and transfer agents registered with another appropriate regulatory agency, including with respect to these entities’ policies and procedures, incident response and notification procedures, and cybersecurity risk management.
Regulatory Update: National Association of Insurance Commissioners Spring 2024 National Meeting
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) held its Spring 2024 National Meeting (Spring Meeting) March 15 through 18, 2024. This Sidley Update summarizes the highlights from this meeting in addition to interim meetings held in lieu of taking place during the Spring Meeting. Highlights include proposed updates to the regulatory review process for affiliated investment management agreements, continued discussion of considerations related to private equity ownership of insurers, and continued development of accounting principles and investment limitations related to certain types of bonds and structured securities.
FinCEN Seeks Input on Banks’ Collecting Partial Social Security Numbers for Customer Identification Programs
On March 28, 2024, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), in consultation with the U.S. banking agencies and the National Credit Union Administration, issued a request for information (RFI) regarding the customer identification program (CIP) requirement for depository institutions (referred to herein as banks) to collect tax identification numbers (TINs).1 Comments are due by May 28, 2024.
U.S. CFTC Seeks Public Input on Use of Artificial Intelligence in Commodity Markets and Simultaneously Warns of AI Scams
The staff of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is seeking public comment (the Request for Comment) on the risks and benefits associated with use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the commodity derivatives markets. According to the Request for Comment, the staff “recognizes that use of AI may lead to significant benefits in derivatives markets, but such use may also pose risks relating to market safety, customer protection, governance, data privacy, mitigation of bias, and cybersecurity, among other issues.”
President Biden Signs Sweeping Artificial Intelligence Executive Order
On October 30, 2023, President Joe Biden issued an executive order (EO or the Order) on Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence (AI) to advance a coordinated, federal governmentwide approach toward the safe and responsible development of AI. It sets forth a wide range of federal regulatory principles and priorities, directs myriad federal agencies to promulgate standards and technical guidelines, and invokes statutory authority — the Defense Production Act — that has historically been the primary source of presidential authorities to commandeer or regulate private industry to support the national defense. The Order reflects the Biden administration’s desire to make AI more secure and to cement U.S. leadership in global AI policy ahead of other attempts to regulate AI — most notably in the European Union and United Kingdom and to respond to growing competition in AI development from China.
New EU FIDA Proposal: How Does This Affect GDPR?
The European Commission issued the Financial Data Access Act (FIDA) proposal in June this year. FIDA will create a legislative framework that aims to “bring payments and the wider financial sector into the digital age” by facilitating the sharing of and access to customer financial data (whether of businesses or consumers).
Regulatory Update: National Association of Insurance Commissioners Summer 2023 National Meeting
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) held its Summer 2023 National Meeting (Summer Meeting) from August 12–16, 2023. Highlights include continued development of accounting principles and investment limitations related to certain types of bonds and structured securities, continued discussion of considerations related to private equity ownership of insurers, a proposed model bulletin addressing the use of artificial intelligence by the insurance industry, and continued development of a new consumer privacy protections model law.
U.S. Congressional Leaders Introduce Two Landmark Bills to Create a Digital Assets Regulatory Scheme
This week, two committees in the House of Representatives will mark up legislation intended to clarify the regulatory framework applicable to digital assets in the United States. Earlier this month, leaders in the U.S. Senate also introduced legislation to establish a comprehensive and unified regulatory scheme for digital assets and digital asset derivatives.1 Both the House and Senate bills seek to integrate the regulation of digital assets and digital asset derivatives into the existing U.S. regulatory framework — primarily that of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) — rather than create a standalone framework, but both bills face significant barriers to enactment.
Cybersecurity and Environmental Fraud Top Priorities of U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission Division of Enforcement
Just before Americans began their Fourth of July holiday, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Division of Enforcement Director announced that the division has established two key task forces: the Cybersecurity and Emerging Technologies and the Environmental Fraud Task Force.1 Both task forces will be staffed with attorneys and investigators across the Division of Enforcement with the goal of serving as subject matter experts and prosecuting cases. As a result, CFTC registrants should be prepared for heightened focus on cybersecurity and environmental fraud, particularly in the derivatives and relevant spot markets.
