ISDA member firms participating in the industry-led WGMR implementation initiative are concerned about the market’s ability to meet an implementation date of December 2015. This concern is based not only on the significant infrastructural changes required of market participants but also due to the significant coordination effort required of global regulators. In summary, ISDA proposed that rules become effective two years after rules are clarified and finalized in Europe, Japan, and USA. ISDA also proposed a phase-in schedule for upcoming Variation Margin (VM) requirements and urged regulators to avoid imposition of implementation dates during the year end code freeze periods. Based on the above, the practical start date of the WGMR requirements would be April 2017.
The letter is available here.