The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has granted no-action relief to Nord Pool ASA (NP), a Norwegian exchange that offers electric power derivatives and EU Emission Allowances, allowing NP to provide access to its electronic trading system in the U.S. without registering with the CFTC as a designated contract market or derivatives transaction execution facility. Access to NP’s systems in the U.S. will be limited to members of NP that are (i) either “Professional Clients” (as defined in the EU Markets in Financial Derivatives Directive) or “eligible contract participants” (ECPs) (as defined in the Commodity Exchange Act), trading for their proprietary accounts; (ii) registered futures commission merchants or Rule 30.10-exempt firms acting on behalf of U.S. customers that are Professional Clients or ECPs; or (iii) registered or exempt commodity pool operators and commodity trading advisors acting on behalf of U.S. pools or clients that qualify as Professional Clients or ECPs.

http://www.cftc.gov/stellent/groups/public/@lrlettergeneral/documents/letter/08-14.pdf