Country Reports
2023
December 11, 2023
Republic of Kosovo: Technical Assistance Report-Residential Property Price Index Mission
Description: A technical assistance (TA) mission was conducted from June 5 to June 9, 2023, to assist the Kosovo Agency of Statistics (KAS) with the initial stages of the development of a Residential Property Price Index (RPPI). This was the first mission to Kosovo dedicated to the RPPI. The mission completed the following tasks: (i) examined all potential data sources (ii) contributed to capacity building by providing training on RPPI compilation (iii) agreed next steps for the development of the RPPI and (iv) assessed the required resources for RPPI development.
December 8, 2023
Namibia: Technical Assistance Report on Government Finance Statistics Mission (August 28-September 1, 2023)
Description: This technical assistance (TA) mission on Government Finance Statistics (GFS) was conducted during August 28 – September 1, 2023. The main purpose of the mission was to provide assistance in the compilation of consolidated general government operations data in accordance with the timeliness requirements of the IMF’s Special Data Dissemination Standards. It also reviewed the progress made by the authorities in implementing previous TA recommendations and provided further support to strengthen the compilation and dissemination of GFS in line with international standards set out in the Government Finance Statistics Manual 2014 (GFSM 2014).
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Systemic Risk Analysis and Stress Testing
Description: The financial sector has remained resilient to a series of shocks and is well capitalized and profitable, but risks remain. Bank profitability and capital have surpassed pre-pandemic levels. Liquidity buffers remain strong and banks’ direct exposures to Russia are limited. The insurance and investment funds sectors have also weathered the pandemic well. There is limited evidence of credit or asset price booms over the past decade. However, inflationary pressures, partly the result of spillovers from Russia’s war on Ukraine, and a rapid tightening of financial conditions have weakened activity and reined in credit demand. Among high uncertainty, GDP growth is projected to slow in 2023, before returning to potential over the medium-term.
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Financial System Stability Assessment
Description: Economic activity has slowed, core inflation remains high, and the fiscal outlook is challenging. The financial sector has remained resilient despite a series of shocks. Belgium has made strong progress since the 2018 FSAP to enhance frameworks for financial sector oversight and crisis management. The National Bank of Belgium’s (NBB) framework for bank supervision is well embedded in the Single Supervisory Mechanism framework and the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) has a well-developed framework for product and conduct supervision of banks and insurers. However, the NBB still lacks the powers to implement macroprudential tools without government approval.
December 8, 2023
Romania: 2023 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report; IMF Country Report No. 23/395
Description: Romania has weathered the economic shocks from the pandemic, Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the resulting surges in energy and food prices relatively well. Growth has slowed down but is expected to remain fairly robust in 2023 and 2024, supported by investment. Inflation remains notably above target but has been declining steadily through 2023. Fiscal deficits remain too large, although the authorities adopted a fiscal package to limit spending and raise additional revenues.
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Financial Safety Net and Crisis Management
Description: The Belgium FSAP deep dived into the arrangements related to the financial safety net and crisis management. Belgium made progress since the 2018 FSAP2 in the preparation of resolution plans and minimum requirement for own funds and eligible liabilities (MREL) targets. The authorities should now focus on strengthening the crisis management framework, ensure the operational readiness of resolution plans and enhancing the Deposit Insurance System (DIS). The Belgium FSAP has reviewed the national arrangements and, as a result, all the recommendations are addressed to the national authorities. This technical note also refers to Significant Institutions (SIs) when relevant and includes a factual description of the allocation of responsibilities between the Belgian authorities, the European Central Bank (ECB) and the Single Resolution Board (SRB) with regards to the functioning of the financial safety net.
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Technical Note on Macroprudential Policy Framework and Tools
Description: Despite a series of shocks in the recent past, the Belgian financial sector has remained resilient and firm evidence for sustained credit or real estate price booms is limited. The profitability, capital adequacy and liquidity of banks have surpassed their pre-pandemic levels, remaining comfortably above regulatory thresholds. Notwithstanding the blows to the economy inflicted by the pandemic, spillovers from Russia’s war in Ukraine, and the energy crisis, bankruptcies have not materialized, and the quality of loan portfolios has stayed strong as automatic wage indexation and government support have helped households and firms. The credit gap turning positive in late 2017 did not herald the beginning of a prolonged period of further widening, with private sector borrowing expanding at a robust pace until the rapid tightening of financial conditions since 2022 triggered an ebbing of lending growth. Prices for residential and commercial dwellings have steadily increased since 2014, yet market dynamism over this period has been generally below developments seen in other euro area countries, keeping valuations in check.
December 8, 2023
Belgium: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Detailed Assessment of Observance-Assessment of the CPSS–IOSCO Principles for Financial Market Infrastructures Euroclear Bank
Description: Euroclear Bank (EB) is a large and highly interconnected international central securities depository (ICSD) that provides critical services for global financial markets. EB, domiciled in Belgium, issues and provides custody and settlement services for international bonds (i.e., Eurobonds) in its capacity as an ICSD. It shares this role primarily with Clearstream Banking Luxembourg (CBL). EB also settles and holds in custody a wide range of domestic and internationally traded securities. In December 2019, EB was authorized under the Central Securities Depository Regulation (CSDR) of the European Union (EU) to perform so-called core CSD services, as well as non-banking- and banking-type ancillary services. EB is also licensed as a credit institution under the Belgian Banking Act. To facilitate smooth settlement, EB provides uncommitted credit facilities to its participants on an intraday and fully collateralized basis. In 2021, the value of securities held on EB’s books was EUR 17.1 trillion and it had settlement turnover of 147 million transactions with a value of EUR 653 trillion. This makes EB the most active CSD in the world (by settlement turnover), as well as the largest ICSD and third largest CSD in the world (by value of securities held).