The 2007 Article IV Consultation with the Kingdom of the Netherlands explains fiscal policy and financial sector issues. Improvements in the macroeconomic and business environments and technological innovation have contributed positively to Dutch competitiveness. Executive Directors emphasized...

Since its independence in 2006, Montenegro has experienced an economic and financial roller coaster ride. The baseline is predicated on continued improvements in cost competitiveness and productivity-raising foreign direct investment (FDI). Avoiding a relapse into recession will thus require...

Strong macroeconomic foundations have so far largely shielded the Netherlands from recent financial turbulence. Despite a tightening labor market, inflation remains subdued. Employment has grown 1¼–1½ percent in 2007, on par with the rest of the Euro area. The external current...

Barbados’s 2008 Article IV Consultation is focused on policies to balance the conflicting risks to inflation, growth, and medium-term sustainability. Although the government has maintained some policy space by postponing the liberalization of the capital account, its options are...

Timor-Leste is a unitary state and has made significant progress with improving its fiscal transparency. The government has adopted a transparent, fiscally sustainable governance framework for the petroleum sector. Nonetheless, there are still many areas in which Timor-Leste diverges from the...

The basic government finance processes are supported by a sound institutional and legal framework. Fiscal information is provided through regular publications and extensive use of the internet. Finally, audit processes are extensive and help improve budget management decisions, practices and...

France’s near–term economic outlook is moderately positive, but clouded by risks from the global environment. The government’s reformist intentions provide an historic opportunity to place France onto a sustained higher growth path with greater opportunities for all....

This Selected Issues paper evaluates the size of fiscal multipliers in Korea using the IMF’s Global Integrated Monetary and Fiscal model calibrated for Korea. The sensitivity of the results to a number of key factors is explored. Based on this, the impact of the recent fiscal stimulus...

The global crisis had a severe impact on the Italian economy despite elements of strength such as high private savings, low private indebtedness, and a resilient financial system. Executive Directors decided that the public sector wage bill should remain a key element of the consolidation...

The staff report for the Netherlands’ 2009 Article IV Consultation describes the economic developments and policies. State interventions in the financial sector have been broadly appropriate and consistent with a sound fix-it-and-exit approach. Measures have included capital injections,...