## Key Trends in Implementation of the Fund’s Transparency Policy

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**Canonical URL:** [Key Trends in Implementation of the Fund’s Transparency Policy](https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/np/pp/eng/2008/_013108.pdf)

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### Introduction
- Prepared by the Policy Development and Review Department; approved by Mark Allen on January 31, 2008.
- The report updates previous "Key Trends in Implementation of the Fund’s Transparency Policy" with information on documents published through December 2007.
- An update will continue to be issued annually to the Executive Board.
- Publication-rate reporting convention: publication rates refer to documents considered by the Board in a period running from November 1 to October 31, and published by the end of the calendar year (e.g., the publication rate for 2007 refers to documents considered by the Board during November 1, 2006 to October 31, 2007, and published by December 31, 2007).

### Trends in Publication Rates
- The report presents publication rates by report type (Article IV, UFR, combined reports, stand‑alone reports, PPM/SMP/EPA/PSI, Joint Staff Advisory Notes, HIPC country papers, Selected Issues/Statistical Annexes, FSSAs, ROSC modules, Article IV Public Information Notices (PINs), UFR and PSI Chairman's statements, Authorities' statements, Country Policy Intention Documents (LOIs/MEFPs, TMUs), PRSP/I-PRSP and related reports, and policy papers).
- Publication rate of PINs is expressed as a share of number of relevant Article IV Board discussions; by definition, 100% of PINs are published.
- Notes on scope:
  - Data include documents issued for the information of the Board and documents sent to the Board for consideration on lapse-of-time basis.
  - ROSC coverage: includes initial ROSC assessments and reassessments produced by the IMF, as well as the World Bank and, in the case of AML/CFT ROSCs, by FATF and FATF-style regional bodies (FSRB), issued on a stand-alone basis or in FSSAs; does not include assessments done under the Offshore Financial Center (OFC) program or detailed standards assessments.
  - Country policy intention documents include LOIs/MEFPs and TMUs issued in the context of SMPs and PSIs.
  - Only includes policy papers for which publication is presumed under the Transparency Policy.

### Lags Between Board Consideration and Publication
- Publication lag reporting convention: number of calendar days; publication lags presented by report type and by economic and regional characteristics.
- Country-specific documents are published as soon as the final consent from the member country is received by the Fund, with technical delays typically not exceeding a couple of business days. Policy papers are published after authorization by the Board.
- Tables provide, by year, for each report group:
  - Number published
  - Average lag (in calendar days)
  - % with lag > 1 month
  - % with lag > 2 months
- Example group-level excerpts from the lag tables (years reported: 2005, 2006, 2007):
  - Article IV and UFR staff reports — Number published: 160 (2005), 154 (2006), 152 (2007); Average lag (days): 35 (2005), 38 (2006), 37 (2007); % with lag > 1 month: 38 (2005), 38 (2006), 35 (2007); % with lag > 2 months: 15 (2005), 16 (2006), 14 (2007).
  - Advanced economies — Number published: 23 (2005), 24 (2006), 24 (2007); Average lag (days): 15 (2005), 10 (2006), 11 (2007); % with lag > 1 month: 13 (2005), 4 (2006), 4 (2007); % with lag > 2 months: 4 (2005), 0 (2006), 0 (2007).
  - Article IV Public Information Notices (PINs) — Number published: 119 (2005), 117 (2006), 125 (2007); Average lag (days): 24 (2005), 19 (2006), 22 (2007); % with lag > 1 month: 24 (2005), 17 (2006), 20 (2007); % with lag > 2 months: 8 (2005), 2 (2006), 5 (2007).
  - UFR and PSI Chairman's statements — Number published: 82 (2005), 59 (2006), 76 (2007); Average lag (days): 1 (2005), 2 (2006), 2 (2007); % with lag > 1 month: 0 (2005), 2 (2006), 1 (2007); % with lag > 2 months: 0 (all years).

### Trends in Recourse to Deletions
- The report tabulates deletions in Article IV and UFR staff reports, distinguishing deletions on exchange rate issues, deletions on financial sector issues, and whether any deletions occurred.
- Reporting notes:
  - Because a single report can have deletions falling into multiple categories (exchange rate, financial sector and/or other areas), there is no fixed relationship between the column for "With any deletions" and the columns for deletions on specific areas.
  - Data are presented by economic and regional characteristics and by exchange rate regime (countries with fixed or crawling pegs or bands versus countries with other exchange rate regimes).
- Example excerpts (years reported: 2005, 2006, 2007):
  - All Article IV and UFR reports — With any deletions: 10 (2005), 17 (2006), 17 (2007); With deletions on exch. rate issues: 6 (2005), 10 (2006), 11 (2007); With deletions on fin. sector issues: 3 (2005), 5 (2006), 8 (2007).
  - Emerging market and developing countries — With any deletions: 8 (2005), 15 (2006), 15 (2007); With deletions on exch. rate issues: 6 (2005), 12 (2006), 12 (2007); With deletions on fin. sector issues: 2 (2005), 5 (2006), 9 (2007).
  - Western Hemisphere — With any deletions: 4 (2005), 4 (2006), 3 (2007); With deletions on exch. rate issues: 15 (2005), 6 (2006), 20 (2007); With deletions on fin. sector issues: 0 (2005), 4 (2006), 7 (2007).
  - Countries with fixed or crawling pegs or bands — With any deletions: 2 (2005), 3 (2006), 9 (2007); With deletions on exch. rate issues: 7 (2005), 6 (2006), 15 (2007); With deletions on fin. sector issues: 7 (2005), 18 (2006), 12 (2007).

### Publication Behavior of Members Over the Past Two Years
- Table 5 lists members that have published both all Article IV/UFR staff reports and all Article IV PINs and UFR Chairman's statements in the two‑year window. Data refer to documents considered by the Board between November 1, 2005 and October 31, 2007, and published by December 31, 2007.
- Coverage note: Data cover only countries where at least one Article IV or UFR was discussed during the relevant period, the total of which is 178 countries.
- Summary statistic:
  - Total: 132 (135)
- The table enumerates member countries meeting the full-publication criterion for the 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 periods (list provided in the source).

*Source: Key Trends in Implementation of the Fund’s Transparency Policy (Policy Development and Review Department), approved January 31, 2008, data through December 2007.*

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/np/pp/eng/2008/_013108.pdf_