The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will require foreign companies and foreign governments to file their Securities Act documents electronically through the commission’s Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System.

Currently the SEC’s rules only permit, but do not require, foreign issuers to file their securities documents on EDGAR. By mandating the electronic filing of foreign issuers’ securities documents on EDGAR, the commission is seeking to realize the same efficiencies in information transmission, dissemination, retrieval and analysis that it has achieved through mandated EDGAR filing for domestic issuers.

The amendments will require the electronic filing of: foreign private issuers’ Securities Act registration statements and Exchange Act registration statements and reports; foreign governments’ Securities Act registration statements and Exchange Act registration statements and reports; and Multijurisdictional Disclosure System forms filed by Canadian issuers; among other filings.

The final rules will go into effect November 4, almost six months from today. This transition period is designed to give filers adequate preparation time. The SEC encourages companies to submit test filings or to begin electronic filing on a voluntary basis during this transition period.