SEC Proposes Mandated Electronic Filing of EDGAR Access Code Applications

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2004-35

Washington, D.C., Mar. 16, 2004 -- On March 15, the Securities and Exchange Commission published proposed rule and form amendments mandating the electronic filing of applications on Form ID for access codes to file on the Commission's Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System (EDGAR). We currently expect that the amendments will be effective in late April, possibly after little further notice. By that time, a related new on-line filing system accessed through an EDGAR Filer Management website is scheduled to be completed. The proposal will be available for public comment until April 5, 2004. The full text of the release has been posted to the SEC Web site (Rel. Nos. 33-8399; 34-49416; 35-27815; 39-2416; IC-26385; File No. S7-14-04).