[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 17, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 17CFR202.1]

[Page 193-194]
 
              TITLE 17--COMMODITY AND SECURITIES EXCHANGES
 
             CHAPTER II--SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
PART 202--INFORMAL AND OTHER PROCEDURES--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 202.1  General.

    (a) The statutes administered by the Commission provide generally 
(1) for the filing with it of certain statements, such as registration 
statements, periodic and ownership reports, and proxy solicitation 
material, and for the filing of certain plans of reorganization, 
applications and declarations seeking Commission approvals; (2) for 
Commission determination through formal procedures of matters initiated 
by private parties or by the Commission; (3) for the investigation and 
examination of persons and records where necessary to carry out the 
purposes of the statutes and for enforcement of statutory provisions; 
and (4) for the adoption of rules

[[Page 194]]

and regulations where necessary to effectuate the purposes of the 
statutes.
    (b) In addition to the Commission's rules of practice set forth in 
part 201 of this chapter, the Commission has promulgated rules and 
regulations pursuant to the several statutes it administers (parts 230, 
240, 250, 260, 270 and 275 of this chapter). These parts contain 
substantive provisions and include as well numerous provisions detailing 
the procedure for meeting specific standards embodied in the statutes. 
The Commission's rules and regulations under each of the statutes are 
available in pamphlet form upon request to the Superintendent of 
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
    (c) The statutes and the published rules, regulations and forms 
thereunder prescribe the course and method of formal procedures to be 
followed in Commission proceedings. These are supplemented where 
feasible by certain informal procedures designed to aid the public and 
facilitate the execution of the Commission's functions. There follows a 
brief description of procedures generally followed by the Commission 
which have not been formalized in rules.
    (d) The informal procedures of the Commission are largely concerned 
with the rendering of advice and assistance by the Commission's staff to 
members of the public dealing with the Commission. While opinions 
expressed by members of the staff do not constitute an official 
expression of the Commission's views, they represent the views of 
persons who are continuously working with the provisions of the statute 
involved. And any statement by the director, associate director, 
assistant director, chief accountant, chief counsel, or chief financial 
analyst of a division can be relied upon as representing the views of 
that division. In certain instances an informal statement of the views 
of the Commission may be obtained. The staff, upon request or on its own 
motion, will generally present questions to the Commission which involve 
matters of substantial importance and where the issues are novel or 
highly complex, although the granting of a request for an informal 
statement by the Commission is entirely within its discretion.