## IMF Standards for Data Dissemination

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [IMF Standards for Data Dissemination](https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/standards-for-data-dissemination)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/standards-for-data-dissemination/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/standards-for-data-dissemination/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/standards-for-data-dissemination/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: April 19, 2023

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### Purpose and benefits of data dissemination standards
- The IMF emphasizes that keeping and publishing clear, reliable, and timely data on a country’s economy helps governments make sound economic policy decisions and enables citizens to hold them accountable.
- The IMF states that data transparency strengthens the credibility of a government’s economic management, facilitates decision-making by market participants and other investors, and ultimately helps economies grow.
- IMF research shows that when countries implement the e-GDDS or advance to subscribe to the SDDS, they experience a significant reduction in their sovereign spreads; greater data transparency is rewarded with lower borrowing costs.

### Structure of the IMF Data Standards Initiatives
- The IMF Data Standards Initiatives comprise three progressively stringent tiers tailored to countries’ capacity: the Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS), the Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS), and SDDS Plus.
- Since its inception in 1996, the framework has reached nearly universal participation by IMF member countries.
- The framework has been periodically evaluated by the IMF Executive Board, most recently in 2022.
- The IMF’s Dissemination Standards Bulletin Board (DSBB) contains information and links to National Summary Data Pages (NSDPs), where countries publish the data under the standards.

### Enhanced General Data Dissemination System (e-GDDS)
- The e-GDDS is the first tier of the IMF Data Standards Initiatives.
- It was introduced in 2015 to help countries improve data transparency, encourage statistical development, and create synergies between data dissemination and surveillance.
- Objectives include improving efficiency in data sharing and identifying critical gaps to help prioritize capacity development and donor support.
- Participation statistics (as of end-2022):
  - 112 countries participate in the e-GDDS.
  - 73 countries publish data through their NSDPs.
  - Over half of the countries that are yet to publish the data are fragile states, and IMF work is ongoing to support these countries fully implement the e-GDDS.
- The last update was in April 2025.

### Special Data Dissemination Standard (SDDS)
- The SDDS was established in 1996 to guide IMF member countries that have or might seek access to international capital markets.
- Under the SDDS, countries voluntarily commit to observe prescribed requirements for data publication; SDDS subscription indicates that a country meets the test of “good statistical citizenship."
- Commitments by subscribing countries include:
  - Disseminate the required data with the prescribed coverage, periodicity, and timeliness on their NSDPs.
  - Provide the IMF with an advance release calendar containing release dates for the current month and at least the following three months for each prescribed data category.
  - Provide detailed information about their statistical practices, or metadata, posted on the DSBB; the metadata follow the rigorous format of the Data Quality Assessment Framework (DQAF) developed by the IMF.
  - Certify the accuracy of the metadata on an annual basis.
- The SDDS Guide for Subscribers and Users details commitments undertaken by a subscriber.

### SDDS Plus
- The SDDS Plus is the highest tier of the IMF Data Standards Initiatives.
- It was established in 2012 to address data gaps identified during the global financial crisis and aims to support domestic and global financial stability through data dissemination.
- SDDS Plus targets economies that play a leading role in international capital markets and focuses on systemically important financial sectors integral to the international monetary system.
- All SDDS subscribers can adhere to the SDDS Plus; it includes additional requirements for data categories that a country commits to observe fully within five years of the date of adherence to the SDDS Plus.

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## Content in this bundle

- [SDDS Guide for Subscribers and Users (PDF)](/external/pubs/ft/sdds/guide/2013/sddsguide13.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- [SDDS Plus (PDF)](/external/pubs/ft/sdds/guide/plus/2015/sddsplus15.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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## References

- [IMF research](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WP/Issues/2022/11/18/Improving-Sovereign-Financing-Conditions-Through-Data-Transparency-525742)
- [evaluated by the IMF Executive Board, most recently in 2022](https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/Policy-Papers/Issues/2022/03/15/Tenth-Review-of-IMF-Data-Standards-Initiatives-515139)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/about/factsheets/sheets/2023/standards-for-data-dissemination_