Country Reports

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Supervision and Systemic Risk Management of Financial Market Infrastructures-Technical Note

Description: The main objective of this technical note is to analyze the supervision and systemic risk management of financial market infrastructures (FMIs) in the United Kingdom. It focuses on the supervision of FMIs, including the regulatory framework, supervisory practices, available resources, transparency, adoption of international standards and coordination and cooperation mechanisms among authorities, both domestically and cross-border; identification and management of interdependencies among FMIs, clearing members and markets, as well as other mechanisms for monitoring of system-wide risks that may exacerbate a crisis and impact financial stability in the United Kingdom and worldwide; and recovery and resolution of FMIs as relatively new instruments to sustain critical operations and services.

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Property Markets and Financial Stability-Technical Note

Description: The main purpose of this paper is to assess the risks to the financial sector that currently emanate from the United Kingdom property markets. The interaction of property markets with financial markets has important implications for financial stability. Cycles in the prices of housing and commercial property affect the balance sheets of households, banks, and other financial institutions. Excessive lending and price swings in property markets can cause significant distress to both borrowers and lenders. A drop in prices of real property weights on firms’ access to finance, which can reduce economic activity, leads to further declines in asset prices and potential financial stability risks.

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Review of the Bank of England’s Liquidity Provision Framework-Technical Note

Description: This paper provides a review of the liquidity provision framework and recent developments in the United Kingdom. The Bank of England’s (BoE’s) Sterling Monetary Framework is the mechanism used in the United Kingdom to direct liquidity provision. The BoE’s relatively wide-ranging and accessible liquidity insurance framework raises three key questions and four other issues relevant to financial stability. The quantification of implications of the liquidity framework for the BoE balance sheet is still a work in progress. Safeguards are generally sufficient, although the BoE should ensure that lower level of supervisory scrutiny directed at small- and medium-sized enterprises does not adversely impact its horizon-scanning for firms at risk of requiring liquidity support.

June 17, 2016

Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe: 2016 Article IV Consultation, First Review under the Extended Credit Facility, and Request for Waiver for Nonobservance of Performance Criterion and Modification of Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Exective Director for the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe

Description: This paper discusses recent economic developments and economic outlook and risks of São Tomé and Príncipe. Although São Tomé and Príncipe’s economic development is constrained by its insularity, fragility, limited resources, and low capacity as a small island state, this African country has made commendable progress toward greater macroeconomic stability. GDP growth has averaged more than 4 percent per year since 2012, faster than many small islands states, but not sufficiently strong and diversified to meaningfully improve economic prospects and reduce poverty significantly. The forthcoming presidential election, with the risk of extra budgetary spending and continued weakness in the banking sector, are the main sources of short-term risks to the economic outlook.

Notes: Also Available in Portuguese

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: 2016 Article IV Consultation-Press Release; and Staff Report

Description: This paper discusses key issues related to the economy of the United Kingdom. The U.K. economy has performed well in recent years, but it faces important challenges and risks. In the near term, the largest risks and uncertainties relate to the upcoming European Union (EU) referendum. In the event the United Kingdom stays in the EU, steady growth is expected to continue over the next few years. Macroeconomic policies in the baseline should focus on promoting continued steady growth while reducing vulnerabilities. In particular, monetary policy should remain on hold until inflationary pressures are clearer and to help offset headwinds from fiscal consolidation.

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: Selected Issues

Description: This paper aims to provide European Union (EU), while recognizing that the choice of whether to remain in the EU is for U.K. voters to make and that their decisions will reflect both economic and noneconomic factors. The question of EU membership is both a political and an economic issue, and the referendum has sparked a wide-ranging debate on the United Kingdom’s role in the EU. Given the range of plausible alternative arrangements with the EU, the number of channels by which countries could be affected and the range of possible effects on the United Kingdom and other economies are broad.

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT)-Technical Note

Description: This paper sets out the findings and recommendations made in the context of the 2016 Financial Sector Assessment Program for the United Kingdom in the areas of Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT). Since the 2011 FSAP, steps have been taken to strengthen the AML/CFT regime. Although significant progress has been made since the United Kingdom’s 2007 mutual evaluation against the previous Financial Action Task Force standard, the authorities are now in the process of bringing their AML/CFT framework in line with the prevailing standard, which was revised in 2012. The United Kingdom has recently adopted a comprehensive reform package to enhance entity transparency.

June 17, 2016

United Kingdom: Financial Sector Assessment Program-Bank Resolution and Crisis Management-Technical Note

Description: This paper first describes the architecture for resolution and crisis management. Second, it outlines the resolution policies and operational arrangements currently in place. Third, it discusses the measures taken by the authorities to ensure resolvability. Fourth, it refers to cross-border cooperation issues in resolution. Finally, it describes frameworks for resolution funding and deposit insurance. The U.K. financial safety net is underpinned by strong institutional arrangements. The financial safety net is made up of Her Majesty's Treasury, the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority, and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The authorities are encouraged to continue their efforts to operationalize, test, and refine the crisis preparedness framework, while exploring mechanisms to make it even more robust.

June 17, 2016

Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe: Selected Issues

Description: This paper discusses the following selected issues related to the São Tomé and Príncipe’s economy: tourism competitiveness in São Tomé and Príncipe—challenges and strategy, macro-financial linkages, private sector development, and challenges of small financial systems. São Tomé and Príncipe has experienced significantly faster growth in tourism than most tourism-dependent small states (TDSS). An application of a tourism gravity model shows that São Tomé and Príncipe is competitive in compared to TDSS. However, tourism development in this country faces broad challenges both on the micro and micro level. São Tomé and Príncipe can do well with venture capital-type financing for micro, small-, and medium-sized enterprises.

Notes: Also Available in Portuguese

June 16, 2016

Burkina Faso: Fourth and Fifth Reviews Under the Extended Credit Facility and Request for Modification of Performance Criteria-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by the Executive Director for Burkina Faso

Description: This paper focuses on the economic developments, economic policies, and economic risks in Burkina Faso. Economic activity remained sluggish over the course of 2015 and in early 2016, amidst political uncertainty and weather shocks. The overall fiscal deficit increased by 0.3 percentage points of GDP compared with 2014, as the sharp decline in revenues was offset by expenditure compression. However, growth is projected to gradually recover in 2016, albeit at a slower rate than anticipated at the time of the 2nd/3rd Extended Credit Facility reviews. Fiscal policy in 2016 will remain prudent and anchored by the WAEMU convergence criterion. Moreover, the authorities are prioritizing measures to boost domestic revenue mobilization.

Notes: Also Available in French