Policy Papers
2012
March 16, 2012
Enhancing Surveillance - Interconnectedness and Clusters - Background Paper
Description: This paper provides additional detail for the framework discussed in “Enhancing Surveillance – Interconnectedness and Clusters” through theoretical and empirical analysis of linkages, including case studies of Saudi Arabia, the Asian supply chain, financial interconnectedness and cross-border policy dependence in banking, and the Sweden-Baltic connections. It also provides a detailed primer on network analysis.
March 15, 2012
Enhancing Surveillance - Interconnectedness and Clusters
Description: This paper and the companion background paper present a simple conceptual framework to better understand cross-border trade and financial interconnectedness. Countries are grouped together into “clusters” on the basis of having relatively tight trade and financial connections (e.g., Asian supply chain). Clusters are connected to one another through “gatekeepers” (e.g., Austria is a gatekeeper to the Central and Eastern Europe, and Sweden to the Baltics), and countries that are central to the whole network are in the “core” (the systemic-5). By mapping this architecture of cross-border trade and financial interconnectedness, the papers provide—at a glance—an easy way to comprehend the direct and indirect linkages of countries. The papers suggest that gatekeepers in particular can play a role in dampening or amplifying and propagating shocks, and this role depends on the economic context and policy space.
March 14, 2012
Liberalizing Capital Flows and Managing Outflows - Background Paper
Description: Liberalization of capital flows can benefit both source and recipient countries by improving resource allocation, reducing financing costs, increasing competition and accelerating the development of domestic financial systems. The empirical evidence, however, is mixed on the benefits, and it suggests that countries benefit most when they meet certain thresholds related to institutional and financial development. The principal cost of capital flow liberalization stems from the economic instability brought on by volatile capital flows. In extreme cases, sudden stops or reversals in capital inflows can trigger financial crises followed by prolonged periods of weak growth.
March 13, 2012
Framework Administered Account for Selected Fund Activities -Government of Canada 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 subaccounts. This paper requests Executive Board approval to establish the Government of Canada Subaccount for Selected Fund Activities (the "Subaccount") under the terms of the SFA Instrument.
March 13, 2012
Liberalizing Capital Flows and Managing Outflows
Description: This is the fourth in a series of Board papers developing a comprehensive Fund view on capital flows and the policies that affect them. A first paper in December 2010 dealt with the Fund’s overall role in this area, both historically and prospectively. The second paper in March 2011 developed a framework for policy advice on managing capital inflows broadly endorsed by the Board, which constitutes a first round articulation of the Fund’s institutional views on managing capital inflows. The third paper in November 2011 examined the multilateral aspects of policies affecting capital flows, and focused mainly on source country policies. This paper covers liberalizing capital flows and the management of outflows.
March 9, 2012
Proposed Amendment of the Extended Fund Facility - Considerations to Extend the Duration of Extended Arrangements on Approval from Three to Four Years
Description:
The EFF Decision currently provides that extended arrangements will be approved for periods not exceeding three years but that, where appropriate, the period of an existing arrangement may be lengthened to a duration of up to four years. This note proposes that the EFF Decision be amended to allow for extended arrangements to be approved for up to four years from the outset.
The reforms to the IMF lending toolkit since 2009 have injected additional flexibility and allowed better tailoring to countries’ varying circumstances. These reforms have enabled the Fund to better respond to the wide-ranging needs of member countries by, among other things, establishing new and more tailored facilities, increasing access limits, clarifying exceptional access criteria, streamlining conditionality, and reforming charges while maintaining adequate Fund safeguards.
March 2, 2012
Proposed Amendment on the Reform of the IMF Executive Board and Fourteenth General Review of Quotas—Status of Acceptances and Consents
Description: This paper reviews progress toward implementation of the 2010 Governance and Quota 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.
February 14, 2012
Implementation Plan in Response to Board-Endorsed Recommendations for the IEO Evaluation of IMF Performance in the Run-Up to the Financial and Economic Crisis
Description: This paper presents a forward-looking management implementation plan (MIP) for the IEO evaluation. In addition to addressing the specific Board-endorsed IEO recommendations, the paper also tries to transcend a narrow interpretation by providing new implementation ideas where the Board saw merit in the IEO’s general, if not specific, approach. For example, while the Board did not agree with the specific recommendation to create a risk-assessment unit, this paper takes a broader view and presents proposals to address the general concern of a lack of risk-focus in IMF surveillance.
February 10, 2012
Quota Formula Review - Initial Considerations
Description:
The Board of Governors has asked the Executive Board to complete a comprehensive review of the quota formula by January 2013. This review is an mportant part of the 2010 quota and governance reforms. At the Seoul Summit, G-20 Leaders welcomed the reforms, which they noted include “Continuing the dynamic process aimed at enhancing the voice and representation of emerging market and developing countries, including the poorest, through a comprehensive review of the quota formula by January 2013 to better reflect the economic weights; and through completion of the next general review of quotas by January 2014.” At its most recent meeting in September 2011, the IMFC stressed that governance reform is crucial to the legitimacy and effectiveness of the IMF. The IMFC committed to intensify its efforts to meet the 2012 Annual Meetings target for effectiveness of the 2010 reform, and called for a report on progress in the quota formula review by the time of its next meeting.
February 3, 2012
Proposed Steps to Address Excessive Delays in the Completion of Article IV Consultations
Description: Bilateral surveillance is mandatory for both the Fund and its members, and all members have an obligation to consult with the Fund for this purpose.3 Periodic consultations with members on their policies and access to necessary information are essential for effective bilateral surveillance. Furthermore, to enable the Fund to effectively conduct multilateral surveillance, bilateral surveillance needs to cover all economies at a reasonable frequency.