Policy Papers
2013
June 21, 2013
Reassessing the Role and Modalities of Fiscal Policy in Advanced Economies
Description:
This paper investigates how developments during and after the 2008–09 crisis have changed economists’ and policymakers’ views on: (i) fiscal risks and fiscal sustainability; (ii) the effectiveness of fiscal policy as a countercyclical tool; (iii) the appropriate design of fiscal adjustment programs; and (iv) the role of fiscal institutions.
Advanced economies have experienced much larger shocks than was previously thought possible and sovereign-bank feedback loops have amplified sovereign debt crises. This has led to reassessing what constitutes “safe” sovereign debt levels for advanced economies and has prompted a more risk-based approach to analyzing debt sustainability. Precrisis views about the interaction between monetary and fiscal policy have also been challenged by the surge in central bank purchases of government debt. This has helped restore financial market functioning, but, to minimize the risk of fiscal dominance, it is critical that central bank support is a complement to, not a substitute for, fiscal adjustment.
June 20, 2013
2013 Pilot External Sector Report - Individual Economy Assessments
Description: The external sector assessments use a wide range of methods, including the External Balance Assessment developed by the IMF’s Research Department to estimate desired current account balances and real exchange rates (Boxes 6, 7 and Annex III of the Pilot Report describe the methodology and challenges). In all cases, the overall assessment is based on the judgment of IMF staff drawing on the inputs provided by these model estimates and other analysis and the estimates are subject to uncertainty. The assessments were initially based on the Spring 2013 WEO and an exchange rate reference period of the average of 2012. Potential policy responses are those which would work to reduce imbalances.
June 20, 2013
2013 Pilot External Sector Report
Description: The IMF’s Second Pilot External Sector Report presents a multilaterally consistent assessment of the largest economies’ external sector positions and policies for 2012-2013 H1. The report integrates the analysis from the Fund’s bilateral and multilateral surveillance to provide a coherent assessment of exchange rates, current accounts, reserves, capital flows, and external balance sheets. The report takes into account feedback received on the previous report by placing a greater emphasis on capital flows and through further refinements to the EBA methodology. Together with the Spillover Report and Article IV consultations (with their heightened focus on spillovers), this Report is part of a continuous effort to ensure the Fund is in a good position to address the possible effects of spillovers from members’ policies on global stability and monitor the stability of members’ external sectors in a comprehensive manner.
June 17, 2013
Implementing Macroprudential Policy - Selected Legal Issues
Description: As countries design and implement macroprudential policies, they face the challenge of determining what—if any—changes need to be made to their legal and institutional framework to ensure that these policies are effective. Based on a review of experience, it is clear that there are a variety of approaches that can be taken by members, in light of the legal constraints and institutional preferences of each country. Whichever approach is followed, a number of issues need to be addressed when designing legislation in this area, both with respect to the substantive legal provisions and the allocation of institutional responsibilities. As background to ”Key Aspects of Macroprudential Policy“, this paper provides an overview of these legal and institutional issues, while recognizing that macroprudential policy is an area that is still evolving.
June 14, 2013
Proposed Amendment on the Reform of the IMF Executive Board and Fourteenth General Review of Quotas - Status of Acceptances and Consents
Description: This status report reviews progress toward implementation of the 2010 Quota and Governance Reforms. It updates the status of consents to the proposed quota increases under the 14th General Review of Quotas and of acceptances of the Proposed Seventh Amendment on the Reform of the Executive Board (“Board Reform Amendment” or “Seventh Amendment”) as set out in the Board of Governors Resolution No. 66-2.
June 13, 2013
Framework Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities - Government of Australia Subaccount for Selected Fund Activities
Description: In March 2009, the Fund adopted the Instrument to establish a new Framework Administered Account to administer external financial resources for Selected Fund Activities (the “SFA Instrument”).1 The financing of activities under the terms of the SFA Instrument is implemented through the establishment and operation of subaccounts. This paper requests Executive Board approval to establish the Government of Australia Subaccount for Selected Fund Activities (the “Subaccount”) under the terms of the SFA Instrument.
June 13, 2013
Framework Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities - Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center West 2 Subaccount
Description: In March 2009, the Fund established a new Framework Administered Account to administer external financial resources for selected Fund activities (the “SFA Instrument”). The financing of activities under the terms of the SFA Instrument is implemented through the establishment and operation of a subaccount within the SFA. This paper requests Executive Board approval to establish the Africa Regional Technical Assistance Center West 2 (AFRITAC West 2) Subaccount (the “AFRITAC West 2 Subaccount” or the “Subaccount”) under the terms of the SFA Instrument.
June 10, 2013
Key Aspects of Macroprudential Policy - Background Paper
Description: The countercyclical capital buffer (CCB) was proposed by the Basel committee to increase the resilience of the banking sector to negative shocks. The interactions between banking sector losses and the real economy highlight the importance of building a capital buffer in periods when systemic risks are rising. Basel III introduces a framework for a time-varying capital buffer on top of the minimum capital requirement and another time-invariant buffer (the conservation buffer). The CCB aims to make banks more resilient against imbalances in credit markets and thereby enhance medium-term prospects of the economy—in good times when system-wide risks are growing, the regulators could impose the CCB which would help the banks to withstand losses in bad times.
June 10, 2013
Key Aspects of Macroprudential Policy
Description: The crisis has underscored the costs of systemic instability at both the national and the global levels and highlighted the need for dedicated macroprudential policies to achieve financial stability. Building on recent advances, this paper provides a framework to inform the IMF’s country-specific advice on macroprudential policy. It recognizes that developing macroprudential policy is a work in progress, and addresses key issues to help ensure its effectiveness.
June 10, 2013
Staff Operational Guidelines on Dissemination of Technical Assistance Information
Description: TA information should be disseminated more widely. The more active sharing of TA information with donors and other TA providers will improve coordination, exploit synergies, and enable the IMF to prioritize and leverage its limited TA resources, thereby fulfilling key objectives under the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness. Moreover, especially from the perspective of their own accountability to their governments and legislators, donors to the IMF’s TA program have a legitimate interest in receiving information on TA that is financed by them. For TA recipient countries, the wider dissemination of TA information among different government agencies will strengthen ownership and facilitate the more effective implementation of TA recommendations. More generally, through publication, the membership and the public at large will benefit from a better understanding of best practices, and the IMF’s experiences in the provision of TA.