The Fund has taken important steps to enhance its external sector assessments since the launch of the External Balance Assessment (EBA) methodology and the External Sector Report (ESR) in 2012, which provides a multilaterally consistent assessment of the largest economies' external sector...

Risks to macroeconomic stability posed by excessive private leverage are significantly amplified by tax distortions. 'Debt bias' (tax provisions favoring finance by debt rather than equity) has increased leverage in both the household and corporate sectors, and is now widely recognized as a...

This notification summarizes the outcome of consultations with Washington-based representatives of participants in the General Arrangements to Borrow (GAB) on a possible renewal of the GAB decision. By way of background, the GAB was established in 1962 and is a standing agreement between the...

Over the past decade, global output has grown by more than 3 percent a year and inflation has slowed in most regions. The fruits of this growthhave not been shared equally, however, and income disparities have grownin many countries, developed as well as developing. One of the mostpressing...

This paper takes stock of the progress made in quota discussions to date, and examines options for adjustments in quotas or voting power outside of a general quota increase. Section II reviews the status of recent quota discussions, while Section III presents the results of updating the data...

In its April 2009 Communique, the IMFC called for a prompt start to the Fourteenth General Review of Quotas so that it is completed by January 2011--some two years ahead of schedule. The IMFC noted that the review is expected to result in increases in the quota shares of dynamic economies,...

The ESF, established within the Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility and Exogenous Shocks Facility (PRGF-ESF) Trust, complements existing Fund instruments for providing timely support, including financing at more appropriate terms, to low-income members that are facing sudden and exogenous...

This note provides operational guidance and background information on the use of Fund resources for budgetary financing. It does this in the context of concerns expressed by some Executive Board Directors that, by providing such financing, the Fund might be held accountable for the quality of...

In light of the multilateral effort to ensure the adequacy of the financial resources available to the International Monetary Fund (the 'Fund'), and with a view to supporting the Fund's ability to provide timely and effective balance of payments assistance to its members, the Bank of Slovenia...