The Manual, which is a companion document to the IMF's Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency (2007), has been revised to reflect the new Code and to provide more recent examples of good practice by individual countries. The Manual expands and explains the pillars and principles of the...

This paper surveys that state of fiscal transparency in the wake of the current crisis and looks at what can be done to improve it. It examines the relationship between fiscal transparency and fiscal outcomes; reviews progress in promoting greater fiscal transparency over the past decade; considers...

This paper provides an update on staff's work on a new Fiscal Transparency Code (FTC) and experiences with the initial pilot Fiscal Transparency Evaluations (FTE), the ground work for which was laid in a 2012 paper 'Fiscal Transparency, Accountability, and Risk.' Both are part of ongoing efforts...

This paper investigates the effect of fiscal transparency on market assessments of sovereign risk, as measured by credit ratings. It measures this effect through a direct channel (uncertainty reduction) and an indirect channel (better fiscal policies and outcomes), and it differentiates between...

This Manual provides guidance on the implementation of the Code of Good Practices on Fiscal Transparency by setting out its principles and practices in detail, and establishing priorities for improving fiscal transparency. Serving as a reference for economists and financial analysts on the...

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Portugal’s practices meet most of the principles of the revised Fiscal Transparency Code at good or advanced levels. A number of areas still present practices at a basic level, but in most of these cases this reflects reforms that have recently been launched and have not yet...

This Technical Assistance report on Iceland discusses that the issue of maintaining alignment with budgets and budgetary reports that are expected to focus on Government Finance Statistics Manual of 2001 (GFSM 2001) indicators. Consolidated 'whole-of-government' financial statements of the...

This Fiscal Transparency Evaluation report highlights that Mozambique's program of budget reforms has brought most aspects of its fiscal reporting and budgeting practices into line with basic and good practices, as defined under the IMF's Fiscal Transparency Code. The weaknesses on fiscal...

This paper uses new data on fiscal transparency for a cross-section of countries; these data possess several advantages. First, the data are based on in-depth reports using a standardized methodology and protocol. Second, this study covers 82 countries, more than previous comparable studies....