The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) considered a series of papers to reform the Fund's nonconcessional lending framework. This culminated in the approval of a major overhaul of the IMF’s lending framework, including the creation of a new Flexible Credit Line (FCL). The changes to the IMF’s lending framework which are described in GRA Lending Toolkit and Conditionality—Reform Proposalsand GRA Lending Toolkit and Conditionality—Reform Proposals—Revised Proposed Decisions include: • modernizing IMF conditionality for all borrowers, • introducing a new Flexible Credit Line, • enhancing the flexibility of the Fund’s traditional stand-by arrangement, • doubling normal access limits for nonconessional resources, • simplifying cost and maturity structures, and • eliminating certain seldom-used facilities. The series of papers are: Review of Fund Facilities—Analytical Basis for Fund Lending and Reform Options, Conditionality in fund-Supported Programs—Purposes, Modalities and Options for Reform, Charges and Maturities and Proposals for Reform, Supplement 1 and Supplement 2, Review of Fund Facilities—Analytical Basis for Fund Lending and Reform Options, and Review of Limits on Access to Financing in the Credit Tranches and Under the Extended Fund Facility, and Overall Access Limits Under the General Resources Account provide the background on the earlier discussion of reforms in each of these areas.

In connection with its recent review of the GRA Lending Toolkit and Conditionality—Reform Proposals, the Executive Board decided that the Fund would move to a review-based approach to monitor the implementation of structural reforms in the context of Fund-supported programs, including under PRGF or ESF arrangements.

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) considered a series of papers to reform the Fund's nonconcessional lending framework. This culminated in the approval of a major overhaul of the IMF's lending framework, including the creation of a new Flexible Credit Line (FCL). The changes to the IMF's lending framework which are described in GRA Lending Toolkit and Conditionality-Reform Proposalsand GRA Lending Toolkit and Conditionality-Reform Proposals-Revised Proposed Decisions include: -- modernizing IMF conditionality for all borrowers, -- introducing a new Flexible Credit Line, -- enhancing the flexibility of the Fund's traditional stand-by arrangement, -- doubling normal access limits for nonconessional resources, -- simplifying cost and maturity structures, and -- eliminating certain seldom-used facilities. The series of papers are: Review of Fund Facilities-Analytical Basis for Fund Lending and Reform Options, Conditionality in fund-Supported Programs-Purposes, Modalities and Options for Reform, Charges and Maturities and Proposals for Reform, Supplement 1 and Supplement 2, Review of Fund Facilities-Analytical Basis for Fund Lending and Reform Options, and Review of Limits on Access to Financing in the Credit Tranches and Under the Extended Fund Facility, and Overall Access Limits Under the General Resources Account provide the background on the earlier discussion of reforms in each of these areas.

This paper examines the implications of the Fund accepting membership in the Financial Stability Board (“FSB”). The FSB Charter (the ?Charter?) explicitly contemplates the possibility of the Fund and the other international financial institutions becoming members but notes that ?the acceptance of membership by the international financial institutions (IFIs) in the FSB is subject to the approval of their respective governing bodies.? An Executive Board decision is required for the Fund to accept membership and is proposed below.

The Board completed its last review of access policy in February 2008 (2008 Access Policy Review). At that time, while some Directors saw the need for an increase in the limits on normal access to Fund resources, most Directors supported maintaining the access limits in the credit tranches and under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and the separate overall limits on access to resources in the General Resources Account (GRA) at the present level of 100 percent of quota on an annual basis and 300 percent on a cumulative basis. During the 2008 Spring Meetings, the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC) encouraged the Executive Board to consider raising access limits. In doing so, the IMFC recognized that emerging market and developing countries are not immune to a broadening of the problems in financial markets and looked forward to reviewing progress at its next meeting. A fresh look at access limits is warranted in light of the broader review of the Fund’s lending framework which is underway, and to take account of the April 28, 2008 agreement on a second round of ad hoc quota increases under the quota and voice reform.

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The Flexible Credit Line (FCL) was introduced as part of a package of reforms to the Fund’s lending facilities in March 2009. The following provides operational guidance and further background information on the FCL. SPR (the Emerging Markets Division), FIN, and LEG stand ready to clarify any further questions departments may have on the FCL or other aspects of the reforms to lending and conditionality.

This note highlights the unique economic characteristics and constraints facing small developing states. It provides operational guidance on Fund engagement with such countries, including on how small country size might influence the use of Fund facilities and instruments, program design, capacity building activities, and collaboration with other institutions and donors. The guidance note draws on the March 2013 Board papers on small states and the associated Executive Board discussion. The findings of the paper and implications for Fund engagement with small states were presented to small states authorities during the 2013 Annual Meetings, as well as in regional IMF conferences with small states in the Bahamas (September 2013) and Vanuatu (November 2013). Series

This volume is the Forty-First Issue of Selected Decisions and Selected Documents of the IMF. It includes decisions, interpretations, and resolutions of the Executive Board and the Board of Governors of the IMF, as well as selected documents, to which frequent reference is made in the current activities of the IMF. In addition, it includes certain documents relating to the IMF, the United Nations, and other international organizations. As with other recent issues, the number of decisions in force continues to increase, with the decision format tending to be longer given the use of summings up in lieu of formal decisions. Accordingly, it has become necessary to delete certain decisions that were included in earlier issues, that is, those that only completed or called for reviews of decisions, those that lapsed, and those that were superseded by more recent decisions. Wherever reference is made in these decisions and documents to a provision of the IMF’s Articles of Agreement or Rules and Regulations that has subsequently been renumbered by, or because of, the Second Amendment of the Fund’s Articles of Agreement (effective April 1, 1978), the corresponding provision currently in effect is cited in a footnote.

This volume documents decisions, interpretations, and resolutions of the Executive Board and Board of Governors of the International Monetary Fund, as well as documents relating to the United Nations and other international organizations.