International Monetary Fund

History of the Archives Policy since 1996

Last Updated: July 28, 2017

Since 1996, the Policy on Access to IMF Archives has undergone several reviews which superseded the initial Board Decision:

  1. Decision No. 11192-(96/2) - January 17, 1996:

    2. Access be given to the documentary materials maintained in the Fund’s Archives that were 30 years old, provided that access to Fund documents originally classified as “Secret” and “Strictly Confidential” would be granted access upon the Managing Director’s consent to their declassification;

  2. Decision No. 11915-(99/23) - March 8, 1999:

    3. Access given to Executive Board documents over 5 years old and to other documentary material maintained in the Fund’s archives after 20 years;

  3. Decision No. 12882-(02/113) November 13, 2002:

    4. Opened Board Minutes and Decisions after 10 years and listed documents that may be published subject to member consent;

  4. Decision No. 12981-(03/34) - April 9, 2003:

    5. Expanded document series open to the public after 10 years and provided budgetary support for the Archives Transparency Project;

  5. Decision No. 14498-(09/126), December 17, 2009 (Effective March 17, 2010):

    6. Confirmed a 3-year rule for most Board documents; a 5-year rule for Board Minutes and Decisions (superseded 2003 decision); a 20-year rule for Evaluation Committee Minutes; and confirmed the 20-year rule for other documentary (departmental) material; and allowed access to archives via the internet. This is the current decision for accessing the archives