(1)

Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 has been amended by Regulation (EU) 2019/834 of the European Parliament and of the Council (2). Those amendments have, inter alia, introduced an obligation on clearing members and clients which provide clearing services, whether directly or indirectly, (‘clearing service providers’) to provide those services under fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory and transparent (‘FRANDT’) commercial terms. To provide legal certainty for clearing service providers and their prospective or existing clients, it is necessary to specify the conditions under which commercial terms are to be considered to be FRANDT.

(2)

Taking into account that the objective of Article 4(3a) of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 is to facilitate access to clearing for clients that have a limited volume of activity in the OTC derivatives market and face difficulties in accessing central clearing, and given the importance of accessing central clearing for counterparties subject to the clearing obligation, this Regulation should apply to the provision of clearing services in relation to OTC derivative contracts that are subject to the clearing obligation pursuant to Article 4(1) of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012. To ensure a level playing field and that clients in the Union benefit from FRANDT commercial terms, this Regulation should apply where those clearing services are provided in the Union.

(3)

To ensure transparency, clearing service providers should describe the process leading to the agreement on contractual terms and setting up operational processes for clearing services (‘on-boarding process’) and provide a form for a request for proposal on their websites. For the same reason, all clearing service providers should disclose information on key commercial terms to prospective clients.

(4)

While clearing service providers should be able to control the risks involved in the provision of clearing services, a harmonised risk assessment of prospective and existing clients should ensure that commercial terms are fair and non-discriminatory, having regard to costs and risks. Some clearing service providers are already under an obligation to assess the risk posed by clients in accordance with the criteria laid down in Article 25 of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/589 (3). To ensure a harmonised risk assessment of clients, while reducing the regulatory burden on clearing service providers and avoiding duplicative and conflicting rules, all clearing service providers should assess clients on the basis of the criteria laid down in Article 25 of that Delegated Regulation.

(5)

To ensure that commercial terms are reasonable, ensuring unbiased and rational contractual arrangements, fees, prices, and discounts should be based on objective criteria, including volumes cleared, clearing patterns and needs and requirements of a client. To avoid unbalanced pricing structures and conflicts of interests, fees, prices and discounts should be carefully designed. Fees charging costs to clients should clearly distinguish between costs directly related to the provision of clearing services to the client concerned and costs related to the provision of clearing services in general, separately for each cost item, including IT costs, licensing costs and costs for collateral management.

(6)

Contractual terms should specify the conditions and criteria for the acceptance of transactions submitted by clients for clearing and for the right of the clearing service provider to suspend clearing services and to liquidate or close out client positions. A derogation from those conditions and criteria should be possible where it is reasonable and duly justified, including to control the risks involved in the provision of clearing services.

(7)

To ensure predictability and continuity of clearing services, clearing service providers should apply a notice period of not less than six months for termination of contracts or for changes that materially affect the agreed terms and conditions. A shorter termination period should be possible where it is reasonable and duly justified, including to control the risks involved in the provision of clearing services.

(8)

Both prospective and existing clients should benefit from FRANDT commercial terms. Whereas the new conditions will benefit prospective clients from the date of application of this Regulation, clearing service providers and existing clients should be given sufficient time to review and, where appropriate, adapt commercial terms agreed before the entry into force of this Regulation.

(9)

Article 4(3a) of Regulation (EU) No 648/2012 has already entered into force and applies from 18 June 2021. To ensure legal certainty as to the conditions under which commercial terms are to be considered to be FRANDT, this Regulation should enter into force as a matter of urgency. However, to give clearing service providers sufficient time to prepare for the application of this Regulation, its application should be deferred,