Macroeconomic conditions deteriorated in 2012. Growth slowed to 2.7 percent from 5 percent in 2011. Both the external and fiscal deficits widened significantly, to 10 percent and 7.6 percent of GDP, respectively. The 2012 fiscal outcome entailed a significant slippage from the authorities’...

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 report describes the monetary and exchange rate policies of the euro area and the euro area stability programs. The Stability and Growth Pact presents annual stability programs (SPs), which outlines the medium-term fiscal objectives. The paper provides a preliminary review of the SPs,...

This paper discusses a Detailed Assessment of the Observance of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies—Securities Regulation for Italy. The paper discusses that in the area of securities regulation, the objectives and responsibilities of the two...

This paper discusses a Detailed Assessment of the Observance of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies (MFPT Code)—Banking Supervision for Italy. Banca d’Italia (BI) notes the assessment’s recognition of the very high degree of compliance of the...

This paper discusses a Detailed Assessment of the Observance of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies for Payment Systems Oversight for Italy. The Banca d’Italia’s (BI) oversight of payment systems is characterized by high levels of transparency,...

This paper focuses on key findings of the Detailed Assessment of Observance of the IMF Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies on Chile. The assessment reveals a high degree of compliance with the Transparency Code, including in the objectives and...

KEY ISSUES Context: The current account is worsening, coinciding with peak debt service, limited market access, and low reserves. Although the authorities have taken ad hoc measures to curb acute exchange rate pressures during the summer, a stronger policy response is urgently needed to reduce...