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International Monetary Fund. Legal Dept.

Abstract

A supplement to the Forty-Third Issue of Selected Decisions and Selected Documents of the International Monetary Fund, incorporating items posted after January 1, 2023.

International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This technical note analyzes the key aspects of the regulatory and supervisory regime for insurance companies in Luxembourg. The analysis is part of the 2024 Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) and based on the regulatory framework in place and the supervisory practices employed as of October 2023. The FSAP reviewed recent developments and the structure of the Luxembourgish insurance sector. The sector is large, well developed, and highly interconnected with other insurance markets through internationally active insurance groups and cross-border business. After having grown substantially in size, it is recommended to further strengthen the Commissariat aux Assurances’s (CAA) independence and its internal governance. The CAA’s staff has roughly doubled since the last FSAP but should be constantly reviewed with further expanding tasks. The authority’s independence could be further strengthened by safeguarding the independence of its Board members and narrowing down in the Insurance Act the reasons on which the CAA’s Directorate could be dismissed. The governance of the CAA would benefit from setting up an internal audit function, and strengthening IT governance as projects are currently conducted largely in-house.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper describes a technical note on securities regulation and supervision in The Netherlands. Regulation of securities and derivatives markets in the European Union (EU) has changed materially since the last Netherlands Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP), with further reforms underway. The securities market landscape in the Netherlands has also changed markedly since the last FSAP, largely in response to Brexit. The Netherlands is now of EU-wide significance in relation to the trading of securities, particularly equities, which has brought challenges for the national authorities. Further enhancements of its approach and a continuing focus on trading system operational resilience are now needed. The established venues are growing and diversifying their offerings, and ‘fintech’ new entrants with business models combining trading and post-trading operations in new ways are on the horizon. Enhancements to the legislative framework are now needed to ensure that the Autoriteit Financiële Markten can continue to supervise efficiently and effectively an expanded and more diverse market, and to engage credibly with international counterparts.
International Monetary Fund. Institute for Capacity Development
This supplement includes five background papers and provides background information on various aspects of capacity development (CD) for the main Board paper, Review of the Fund’s Capacity Development Strategy—Towards a More Flexible, Integrated, and Tailored Model. It is divided into five sections, each consisting of a different background paper. The five sections cover (1) CD Delivery Modalities; (2) Evaluation and Impact; (3) Regional Capacity Development Centers and Field Presence; (4) HR Policies; and (5) Mapping the Fund’s Position vis-à-vis Other CD Providers.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper presents Republic of Kazakhstan’s Financial System Stability Assessment report. In 2024, Kazakhstan’s economic growth is expected to slow to 3.1 percent, mostly due to delays in expanding the Tengiz oil field, while inflation, which is still well above the authorities’ target, would continue to decline. The authorities have continued their efforts to secure macroeconomic stability. The National Bank of Kazakhstan maintained tight monetary policy throughout 2023. The authorities remain committed to medium-term fiscal consolidation and have undertaken significant efforts to increase trade diversification and address governance and corruption vulnerabilities. According to the recently completed Financial Sector Assessment Program, the banking system appears well capitalized in aggregate. Kazakhstan is exposed to transition risk from domestic and global climate policies. Banking supervision has become more risk-based, but related party transactions remain challenging to monitor and consolidated supervision is still incomplete. Finally, there remain gaps in the financial safety nets and crisis management arrangements.
Edda R Karlsdóttir
,
Rachid Awad
,
Ender Emre
,
Alessandro Gullo
,
Aldona Jociene
, and
Constant Verkoren
This note intends to provide advice to bank supervision and resolution authorities and policymakers seeking to deal with opaque bank ownership or significant overhang of related-party exposures.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper focuses on the report on Belgium’s Financial Sector Assessment Program. Economic activity has slowed, core inflation remains high, and the fiscal outlook is challenging. The financial sector has remained resilient despite a series of shocks. Key financial stability risks emanate from the large, concentrated, and interconnected banking sector, private sector indebtedness, and high exposure to real estate. Bank solvency stress tests indicate that the financial sector is resilient under severe macroeconomic shocks. Although there is some heterogeneity across financial institutions, all banks would satisfy the minimum capital criteria. The authorities should enhance the National Bank of Belgium’s powers to set macroprudential policy in line with its financial stability mandate. In the near term, the extension/ setting of capital requirements should be streamlined, without the requirement for government approval. There is scope to strengthen the corporate governance framework and expectations for banks, and boost prudential supervisory staffing, especially given upcoming regulatory developments.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
This paper focuses on the technical note on regulation and supervision of less significant institutions in Belgium. The financial sector assessment program (FSAP) undertook a targeted review of Belgium’s Less Significant Institutions (LSI) and third-country branches (TCBs) banking regulation and supervision. The National Bank of Belgium (NBB) and Financial Services and Markets Authority have well-established processes for prudential, product and conduct supervision of LSIs. While NBB’s overall supervisory approach is adequate, the regulatory framework for corporate governance could be enhanced. Internal decision-making processes and the underpinning of certain decision proposal could in some specific instances be enhanced. With regard to NBB’s internal supervisory processes, some fine-tuning and continued attention could be useful. The NBB should continue to ensure adequate staffing for LSI and TCB supervision and continue to carefully consider how to address any supervisory Information Technology risk concerns. Banks’ internal capital target could usefully be added to the NBB’s internal monitoring. A structured approach for conduct risk and consumer protection information sharing with the FSMA and the Ministry of Economic Affairs should be put in place.
International Monetary Fund. Monetary and Capital Markets Department
The Financial Sector Assessment Program (FSAP) conducted a focused review of insurance regulation and supervision in Belgium. This technical note (TN) provides an update on the insurance sector and highlights risks and vulnerabilities. It analyzes key aspects of regulatory and supervisory oversight: supervisor; the solvency framework; supervision (micro and macro); changes in control and portfolio transfer, reinsurance; conduct of business and group supervision and supervisory co-operation and co-ordination. Belgium has adopted a twin peaks model of regulatory oversight and supervision. The National Bank of Belgium (NBB) is responsible for prudential supervision at both a micro and macro level whilst the Financial Services and Markets Authority (FSMA) is mandated with conduct of business supervision. The analysis focuses on supervision within the scope of the NBB’s and the FSMA’s mandates. The TN comments on progress in respect of the implementation of recommendations made by the previous FSAP and offers further recommendations to strengthen the regulatory and supervisory regime.

Abstract

The high exposure of open economies to shocks makes them particularly vulnerable to volatile capital flows and advanced economy monetary policy spillovers. How should and do domestic policymakers respond? The traditional answer has been to use flexible exchange rates as a shock absorber. But flexible exchange rates may not offer full insulation when financial markets are imperfect. This book brings together recent empirical studies at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) on the effectiveness of different tools in responding to such shocks. The 18 chapters in this volume provide a rich background to the recently launched Integrated Policy Framework by the IMF. They comprise assessments of countries’ actual use of different tools, as well as in-depth evaluations of their effectiveness and side effects, covering macroprudential policies, monetary policy, foreign-exchange intervention, and capital flow management policies. Many of the studies involve new data and methods to tackle the inherently difficult problems in identifying and comparing the effects of policies under different circumstances. As a result, the volume offers the reader a comprehensive, in-depth coverage of the policy-oriented empirical research that has informed the development of a new way of thinking about open-economy macroeconomics at the IMF.