This technical note focuses on selected issues on the credit union (CU) sector in the Czech Republic. The business models of CUs in the Czech Republic are fundamentally different from traditional CUs that are typically non-for-profit cooperatives operated for the benefit of a defined set of...

The Financial System Stability Assessment of Mauritius assesses the standards and codes and the potential risks and vulnerabilities of the financial system. It summarizes the assessments of the standards and codes on the Basel Core Principles for effective banking supervision, systemically...

In recent years, the IMF has released a growing number of reports and other documents covering economic and financial developments and trends in member countries. Each report, prepared by a staff team after discussions with government officials, is published at the option of the member country.

This Technical Note focuses on banking sector structure in Germany. Germany’s banking system comprises three “pillarsâ€â€”private commercial banks, public sector banks, and cooperative banks—distinguished by the ownership structure and business orientation. The German...

This paper discusses key findings of the Detailed Assessment of Observance of Basel Core Principles for Effective Banking Supervision for France. The assessment was completed as part of a Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) undertaken by the IMF during 2012. The assessment reveals that...

This paper discusses key findings of the detailed assessment of observance of financial sector standards and codes in Switzerland. Switzerland has a relatively unique banking sector, with a high market concentration by the two largest domestic banks. The overall assessment of the peer-review...

This paper provides a proposal to incorporate the Core Principles for Islamic Finance Regulation (Banking Sector) (CPIFR) issued by the Islamic Financial Services Board (IFSB), as part of the standards used in assessing the banking regulatory and supervisory regimes of relevant member...

This paper discusses the need for ensuring financial stability in countries with Islamic Banking (IB). IB continues to grow rapidly, in size and complexity, posing a challenge to supervisory authorities and central banks. The legal environment within which IBs operate can be complex and...

In an Islamic system, as interest is prohibited, banks are expected to operate solely on the basis of profit and risk sharing. This paper describes the developments in Islamic banking in Iran and Pakistan. As these two countries have initiated the most far-reaching experiments with Islamic...

The provision and use of financial services and products that conform to Islamic religious principles pose special challenges for the identification, measurement, monitoring, and control of underlying risks. Effective and efficient risk management in Islamic financial institutions has assumed...