(a) Any two or more self-regulatory organizations may file with the Commission within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this rule, and thereafter as changes in designation are necessary or appropriate, a plan for allocating among the self-regulatory organizations the responsibility to receive regulatory reports from persons who are members or participants of more than one of such self-regulatory organizations to examine such persons for compliance, or to enforce compliance by such persons, with specified provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the rules and regulations thereunder, and the rules of such self-regulatory organizations, or to carry out other specified regulatory functions with respect to such persons.

(b) Any plan filed hereunder may contain provisions for the allocation among the parties of expenses reasonably incurred by the self-regulatory organization having regulatory responsibilities under the plan.

(c) After appropriate notice and opportunity for comment, the Commission may, by written notice, declare such a plan, or any part of the plan, effective if it finds the plan, or any part thereof, necessary or appropriate in the public interest and for the protection of investors, to foster cooperation and coordination among self-regulatory organizations, or to remove impediments to and foster the development of the national market system and a national system for the clearance and settlement of securities transactions and in conformity with the factors set forth in section 17(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

(d) Upon the effectiveness of such a plan or part thereof, any self-regulatory organization which is a party to the plan shall be relieved of responsibility as to any person for whom such responsibility is allocated under the plan to another self-regulatory organization to the extent of such allocation.

(e) Nothing herein shall preclude any self-regulatory organization from entering into more than one plan filed hereunder.

(f) After the Commission has declared a plan or part thereof effective pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section or acted pursuant to paragraph (g) of this section, a self-regulatory organization relieved of responsibility may notify customers of, and persons doing business with, such member or participant of the limited nature of its responsibility for such member's or participant's acts, practices, and course of business.

(g) In the event that plans declared effective pursuant to paragraph (c) of this section do not provide for all members or participants or do not allocate all regulatory responsibilities, the Commission may, after due consideration of the factors enumerated in section 17(d)(1) and notice and opportunity for comment, designate one or more of the self-regulatory organizations responsible for specified regulatory responsibilities with respect to such members or participants.