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

The White Cover (pre-edited) version of the seventh edition of the IMF’s Integrated Balance of Payments and International Investment Position Manual (BPM7) is released.

The strategy paper for the implementation of BPM7 is available here.

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.

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.

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.

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.