Policy Papers
2012
August 29, 2012
Macrofinancial Stress Testing - Principles and Practices—Background Material
Description: Staff conducted a survey of stress testing practices among selected national central banks and supervisory authorities. The online survey was undertaken in November 2011 as part of the preparatory work for the paper on ―Macrofinancial Stress Testing: Principles and Practices. The survey focused on stress testing for banks, which is more widespread and better established—and practices are therefore easier to compare across countries—but also included questions on stress testing for nonbank financial institutions.
August 28, 2012
The IMF Financial Surveillance Strategy
Description: This paper outlines strategic priorities for the IMF’s financial surveillance in the coming years. It complements recent discussions on the work agenda in this area. It takes stock of innovations and gaps in financial surveillance by the Fund during the past decade, including in the wake of the current global financial crisis. It proposes concrete and prioritized steps to further strengthen financial surveillance so that the Fund can fulfill its mandate to ensure the effective operation of the international monetary system and support global economic and financial stability.
August 28, 2012
2012 Review of Data Provision to the Fund for Surveillance Purposes
Description: The IMF keeps data provision by members under periodic review since timely, accurate, and comprehensive data are essential for fulfilling its surveillance mandate. The previous Review of Data Provision to the Fund for Surveillance Purposes was discussed by the Executive Board in March 2008 (the 2008 Review). The 2008 Review introduced a new classification system for rating the adequacy of data provision by a member to help with this assessment. The present review was expected to be conducted in 2013, but was brought forward to 2012 in the context of the ongoing global crisis. In particular, the Managing Director’s (MD) statement on the 2011 Triennial Surveillance Review (TSR) announced that the Review of Data Provision to the Fund for Surveillance Purposes would be brought forward to 2012 to allow the Board to consider where more and better data could be leveraged to enhance surveillance.
August 27, 2012
The Key Attributes of Effective Resolution Regimes for Financial Institutions - Progress to Date and Next Steps
Description:
The financial crisis underscored the need to develop an effective international framework to resolve cross-border financial institutions and groups. The development of such a framework has been a priority for the international community. Many important milestones have been achieved—most notably the adoption by the Financial Stability Board (FSB) of the Key Attributes of Effective Resolution Regimes for Financial Institutions (the Key Attributes) which is emerging as a new (nonbinding) international standard. Fund staff have been heavily involved in their development.
The Key Attributes specify essential features that should be part of the resolution framework at both the national and international levels, with the key objective of making resolution feasible without severe systemic disruption and without exposing taxpayers to loss. These features include a comprehensive “toolkit” of resolution powers for national authorities, including powers to: (i) assume control of a financial institution from existing managers and owners; (ii) effect a resolution of the troubled institution through the sale or merger of the entity, the transfer of assets and liabilities of the institution to third parties, or through unilateral debt restructuring or “bail-in”; and (iii) support the resolution through a temporary stay on the execution of early termination rights under financial contracts.
August 24, 2012
Macroeconomic Policy Frameworks for Resource-Rich Developing Countries--Analytic Frameworks and Applications
Description: This supplement presents the analytical frameworks underlying the IMF’s staff’s enhanced policy analysis and advice to resource-rich developing countries (RRDCs). The proposed macro-fiscal models, which are applied to selected country or regional cases, are aimed at addressing questions regarding how to deal with resource revenue uncertainty and how to scale up spending within relevant frameworks that ensure fiscal and external sustainability while addressing absorptive capacity constraints. The country applications confirm the importance attached by both IMF staff and country authorities of using the appropriate macro-fiscal frameworks to address the specific challenges faced by RRDCs.
August 24, 2012
Macroeconomic Policy Frameworks for Resource-Rich Developing Countries
Description: This paper aims to widen the prism through which Fund policy analysis is conducted for resource-rich developing countries (RRDCs). While all resource-rich economies face resource revenue exhaustibility and volatility, RRDCs face additional challenges, including lack of access to international capital markets and domestic capital scarcity. Resource exhaustibility gives rise to inter-temporal decisions of how much of the resource wealth to consume and how much to save, and revenue volatility calls for appropriate fiscal rules and precautionary savings. Under certain conditions, it would be optimal for a significant share of a RRDC’s savings to be in domestic real assets (e.g., investment in domestic infrastructure), though absorptive capacity constraints need to be tackled to promote efficient spending and short-run policies are needed to preserve macroeconomic stability. The objective of this paper is to develop new macro-fiscal frameworks and policy analysis tools for RRDCs that could enhance Fund policy advice.
August 24, 2012
Macroeconomic Policy Frameworks for Resource-Rich Developing Countries - Background Paper 1
Description: This paper provides deeper insights on a few themes with regard to the experience with macroeconomic management in resource-rich developing countries (RRDCs). First, some stylized facts on the performance of these economies relative to their non-resource peers are provided. Second, the experience of Fund engagement in these economies with respect to surveillance, programs, and technical assistance is assessed. Third, the experience of selected countries with good practices in the management of the natural resource wealth is presented. Fourth, the experience of IMF advice in helping RRDCs set up resource funds is discussed. Finally, the main themes and messages from the IMF staff consultation with external stakeholders (CSOs, policy makers, academics) are presented.
August 22, 2012
Macrofinancial Stress Testing - Principles and Practices
Description: The recent financial crisis drew unprecedented attention to the stress testing of financial institutions. On one hand, stress tests were criticized for having missed many of the vulnerabilities that led to the crisis. On the other, after the onset of the crisis, they were given a new role as crisis management tools to guide bank recapitalization and help restore confidence. This spurred an intense debate on the models, underlying assumptions, and uses of stress tests. Current stress testing practices, however, are not based on a systematic and comprehensive set of principles but have emerged from trial-and-error and often reflect constraints in human, technical, and data capabilities.
August 20, 2012
Review of the Fund's Strategy on Overdue Financial Obligations
Description: This paper reviews progress under the Fund’s strengthened cooperative strategy on overdue financial obligations. The level and structure of arrears to the Fund has remained broadly unchanged since the last review. Total arrears to the Fund at end-June 2012 amounted to SDR 1,302.3 million, a decline of SDR 1.6 million from the end-June 2011 level. While payments to the Fund by Sudan and Zimbabwe exceeded new obligations falling due, Somalia’s arrears increased further. All overdue obligations to the Fund at end-June 2012 were due to the protracted arrears cases. Three members remain in protracted arrears to the Fund—Somalia, Sudan, and Zimbabwe. Sudan accounted for the bulk of the arrears to the Fund (76 percent).
August 16, 2012
Fiscal Regimes for Extractive Industries—Design and Implementation
Description:
Better designed and implemented fiscal regimes for oil, gas, and mining can make a substantial contribution to the revenue needs of many developing countries while ensuring an attractive return for investors, according to a new policy paper from the International Monetary Fund. Revenues from extractive industries (EIs) have major macroeconomic implications. The EIs account for over half of government revenues in many petroleum-rich countries, and for over 20 percent in mining countries. About one-third of IMF member countries find (or could find) resource revenues “macro-critical” – especially with large numbers of recent new discoveries and planned oil, gas, and mining developments.
IMF policy advice and technical assistance in the field has massively expanded in recent years – driven by demand from member countries and supported by increased donor finance. The paper sets out the analytical framework underpinning, and key elements of, the country-specific advice given.
Also available in Arabic: النظم المالية العامة للصناعات الاستخراجية: التصميم والتطبيق
Also available in French: Régimes fiscaux des industries extractives: conception et application
Also available in Spanish: Regímenes fiscales de las industrias extractivas: Diseño y aplicación