Update of the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6)

The IMF Statistics Department has launched the update of the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual  (BPM6) targeting to publish an updated version of the Manual (BPM7) by March 2025. The BPM6 update is being coordinated with the update of the System of National Accounts 2008 (2008 SNA), which was officially launched by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) also with a target release date of March 2025.

Key elements of the BPM6 Update process and the timetable were endorsed by the IMF’s Committee on Balance of Payments Statistics (BOPCOM) at its Thirty-Third Meeting in March 2020.

The two phases of the update process are:

  • Phase I (March 2020–March 2022): finalization of the detailed research on the issues identified in the Compendium of Research Issues and discuss how they would impact the new version of the Manual (BPM7) and
  • Phase II (April 2022–March 2025): finalization of the Annotated Outline and drafting of the chapters/appendixes of the BPM7, and extensive consultations about the proposed changes;

Task Teams (TTs)/joint TTs have been established to advise BOPCOM and the Inter‑secretariat Working Group on National Accounts (ISWGNA) on research issues relevant to the BPM6 and the 2008 SNA Update.

BPM6 Updated 

Global Consultation on Annotated Outlines for Chapters in the Updated System of National Accounts and Balance of Payments Manual

Several Annotated Outlines have been prepared to assist in the drafting of chapters for the updates of the 2008 System of National Accounts (2008 SNA) and the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual  (BPM6). The draft Annotated Outlines are now being made available for global consultation on the SNA update website and on this website (as appropriate). Users and compilers of macroeconomic statistics are encouraged to review the Annotated Outlines and provide feedback through the Survey link below.

Global Consultation on Annotated Outlines

Global Consultation on Annotated Outlines for Chapters in the Updated System of National Accounts and Balance of Payments Manual – First Round  (Survey closed January 7, 2023)

Global Consultation on Annotated Outlines for Chapters in the Updated System of National Accounts and Balance of Payments Manual – Second Round (Survey closed March 24, 2023)
Global Consultation on Annotated Outlines for Chapters in the Updated System of National Accounts and Balance of Payments Manual – Third Round (Survey closed May 5, 2023)
Global Consultation on Annotated Outlines for Annexes in the updated Balance of Payments Manual – Fourth Round (Survey closed June 2, 2023)

Global Consultation Survey (available on unstats.un.org)

Survey

Annotated Outlines for SNA Chapters (available on unstats.un.org)

2025 SNA chapters

Annotated Outlines for BPM Chapters

BPM7 Chapters 


Survey on the Holistic Review of BPM6 Update Priorities

The purpose of this survey is to receive inputs on the costs and benefits of introducing new data breakdowns in connection with the update of the sixth edition of the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM6). If you are a user of external sector statistics, you are being asked to assess the benefits of implementing new data breakdowns. If you are a compiler, you are being asked to assess the costs and optionally—if you are also a data user—the benefits.

Holistic Review of BPM6 Update Priorities (Survey on this Holistic Review closed on August 15, 2022)

Outcomes of the Holistic Review Survey of BPM6 Update Priorities

Further information

This website will be updated from time to time to provide information on the revision process, and to seek comments on (i) key proposals of the TTs dedicated to addressing specific research issues; (ii) the draft BPM7 Annotated Outline; and (iii) draft BPM7 Chapters and appendixes. General and specific questions and comments are welcomed and should be sent to STABPM6Update@imf.org.

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BPM7  Outreach Events

Two rounds of regional outreach seminars are being held to raise global awareness, engage with countries, explain the proposed changes in BPM7, collect input from compilers, and discuss implementation plans.

The first round of outreach seminars is being held virtually. Most events will also be covering the proposed changes in the 2025 System of National Accounts (2025 SNA). Below are the materials that were used during the outreach events that were conducted so far.

Please note that the material in each seminar may include some updates compared to the previous seminars, taking into consideration the developments during the respective periods.

Collaborating Institutions

Dates

Agenda

Presentations

European Central Bank (ECB)/EUROSTAT/IMF

March 12-15, 2024

ENG

ENG

United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)/IMF

March 6-7, 2024

ENG, RUS

ENG, RUS

The Caucasus, Central Asia, and Mongolia Regional Capacity Development Center (CCAMTAC)/IMF

January 23-25, 2024

ENG, RUS

ENG

Arab Monetary Fund (AMF)/IMF

December 12-14, 2023

ENG, ARA

ENG, ARA

Center for Latin American Monetary Studies (CEMLA)/IMF (BPM Only)

May 23-24, 2023

ENG, SPA

ENG, SPA

The second round of seminars is planned to kick off in 2025, after the publication of BPM7 and the 2025 SNA, and extend into 2026.