Monetary and Financial Policy Transparency
Good transparency practices for central banks and financial agencies in their conduct of monetary and financial policies can contribute policy effectiveness, policy consistency and good governance. The scope of good transparency practices and the issues in assessing their adequacy and effectiveness are discussed in this section.
The concept of transparency of monetary and financial policies refers to an environment in which the objectives of the policy; the policy’s legal, institutional, and economic framework; the policy decisions and their rationale; the data and information related to monetary and financial policies; and the terms of agencies’ accountability are provided to the public on an understandable, accessible, and timely basis. The Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies (MFP Code) identifies desirable transparency practices for central banks and financial agencies in their conduct of monetary and financial policies. The MFP Code was developed by the IMF in 1999.2 This document is a distillation of concepts and practices that are already in use and for which there is a record of experience. Together with the Supporting Document to the Code of Good Practices on Transparency in Monetary and Financial Policies (Supporting Document; IMF 2000b), the various guidance notes, and the specific templates, the MFP Code serves as the reference material for assessing transparency practices in monetary and financial policies.
The transparency of monetary and financial policies contributes to policy effectiveness, facilitates policy consistency, and strengthens governance. The public’s awareness of the goals and instruments of policy, as well as the authorities’ credible commitment to meeting the goals, can contribute to good policy making and can improve the effectiveness of policies. Transparency in the mandate, as well as the rules and procedures in the operations of monetary and financial agencies, helps to ensure consistency in cases where conflicts might arise between or within government units. Good governance calls for central banks and financial agencies to be accountable, particularly where the monetary and financial authorities are granted a high degree of autonomy. In the case of monetary policy, transparency about policy process—achieved by providing the private sector with a clear description of the considerations that guide monetary policy decisions—helps ensure that market expectations can be formed more efficiently and, thereby, makes the monetary policy transmission mechanism generally more effective. Through good
transparency practices, the central bank can establish a mechanism for strengthening its credibility by matching its actions to its public statements. Similarly, transparency of a regulatory agency’s mandate, operations, and regulatory processes is essential in establishing the credibility and effectiveness of financial sector oversight. Although credibility is achieved by meeting the stated objectives and responsibilities, transparency may also limit self-interest on the part of the regulators and may foster increased commitment of regulated firms to regulatory compliance, prudent behavior, proper risk management, and internal control.
The MFP Code lists 17 good practices on transparency of monetary policies by the central bank and 20 good practices on transparency of financial policies, all grouped into four categories. Many of the good practices are further divided into more detailed practices. The four groups of transparency practices and a summary description of each practice are presented in Annex 10.A. The four groups are (1) clarity of roles, responsibilities, and objectives of central banks and financial agencies; (2) the processes for the formulating and reporting of monetary policy decisions by the central bank and of financial policies by financial agencies; (3) public availability of information on monetary and financial policies; and (4) accountability and assurances of integrity by the central bank and financial agencies.
