[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 12, Volume 3, Parts 220 to 299]
[Revised as of January 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 12CFR225.7]

[Page 66-67]
 
                       TITLE 12--BANKS AND BANKING
 
                   CHAPTER II--FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM
 
PART 225--BANK HOLDING COMPANIES AND CHANGE IN BANK CONTROL (REGULATION Y)--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec. 225.7  Exceptions to tying restrictions.

    (a) Purpose. This section establishes exceptions to the anti-tying 
restrictions of section 106 of the Bank Holding Company Act Amendments 
of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1971, 1972(1)). These exceptions are in addition to 
those in section 106. The section also restricts tying of electronic 
benefit transfer services by bank holding companies and their nonbank 
subsidiaries.
    (b) Exceptions to statute. Subject to the limitations of paragraph 
(c) of this section, a bank may:
    (1) Extension to affiliates of statutory exceptions preserving 
traditional banking relationships. Extend credit, lease or sell property 
of any kind, or furnish any service, or fix or vary the consideration 
for any of the foregoing, on the condition or requirement that a 
customer:
    (i) Obtain a loan, discount, deposit, or trust service from an 
affiliate of the bank; or
    (ii) Provide to an affiliate of the bank some additional credit, 
property, or service that the bank could require to be provided to 
itself pursuant to section 106(b)(1)(C) of the Bank Holding Company Act 
Amendments of 1970 (12 U.S.C. 1972(1)(C)).
    (2) Safe harbor for combined-balance discounts. Vary the 
consideration for any product or package of products based on a 
customer's maintaining a combined minimum balance in certain products 
specified by the bank (eligible products), if:
    (i) The bank offers deposits, and all such deposits are eligible 
products; and
    (ii) Balances in deposits count at least as much as nondeposit 
products toward the minimum balance.
    (3) Safe harbor for foreign transactions. Engage in any transaction 
with a customer if that customer is:
    (i) A corporation, business, or other person (other than an 
individual) that:
    (A) Is incorporated, chartered, or otherwise organized outside the 
United States; and
    (B) Has its principal place of business outside the United States; 
or
    (ii) An individual who is a citizen of a foreign country and is not 
resident in the United States.

[[Page 67]]

    (c) Limitations on exceptions. Any exception granted pursuant to 
this section shall terminate upon a finding by the Board that the 
arrangement is resulting in anti-competitive practices. The eligibility 
of a bank to operate under any exception granted pursuant to this 
section shall terminate upon a finding by the Board that its exercise of 
this authority is resulting in anti-competitive practices.
    (d) Extension of statute to electronic benefit transfer services. A 
bank holding company or nonbank subsidiary of a bank holding company 
that provides electronic benefit transfer services shall be subject to 
the anti-tying restrictions applicable to such services set forth in 
section 7(i)(11) of the Food Stamp Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 2016(i)(11)).
    (e) For purposes of this section, bank has the meaning given that 
term in section 106(a) of the Bank Holding Company Act Amendments of 
1970 (12 U.S.C. 1971), but shall also include a United States branch, 
agency, or commercial lending company subsidiary of a foreign bank that 
is subject to section 106 pursuant to section 8(d) of the International 
Banking Act of 1978 (12 U.S.C. 3106(d)), and any company made subject to 
section 106 by section 4(f)(9) or 4(h) of the BHC Act.