This supplement provides clarifications and proposes revision to the reforms of the nonconcessional lending toolkit contained in the staff papers on “The Fund’s Mandate—Future Financing Role: Reform Proposals”. The focus of this supplement is on the Flexible Credit Line (FCL) and the Precautionary Credit Line (PCL), for which revised proposed decisions are attached.

The possible global repercussions from the ongoing turmoil in the Euro Area and recent calls for enhanced emergency assistance in the Middle East and North African region are reminders of the urgent need for a more effective global financial safety net to deal with increased interconnectedness and volatility. Past work by staff identified gaps in the Fund’s lending toolkit to respond to liquidity needs of members with relatively strong fundamentals affected during systemic crises (the crisis bystanders), and to address urgent financing needs arising in a broader range of circumstances than natural disasters and post-conflict situations. The companion paper on the Review of the Flexible Credit Line (FCL) and Precautionary Credit Line (PCL) also identified gaps in the overall flexibility of the financing toolkit. This paper provides proposals to fill these gaps, while preserving the simplicity and coherence of the lending framework, and balancing members’ financing needs against the need for adequate safeguards for the use of Fund resources.

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.

"This note provides general guidance on the use of the Flexible Credit Line (FCL). After an overview of the instrument, explaining its specific nature, the operational issues are grouped into three areas: • an outline of the process and specific steps that need to be followed if a member expresses interest in an arrangement; • guidance on determining qualification of a member; and • a how-to guide for determining appropriate access levels. The note is an aid to the implementation of the policy and its underlying principles. If there is any instance in which a provision of the guidance note or its implementation conflicts with Board policy, Board policy prevails. It will be revised as needed, for example following relevant policy reviews."

The Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL) was introduced in the context of the Board discussion on the Fund's Financing Role: Reform Proposals on Liquidity and Emergency Assistance in November 2011, replacing and broadening the scope of the previously established Precautionary Credit Line (PCL). The following note provides operational guidance to staff and further background information on the PLL. SPR (the Emerging Markets Division), FIN, and LEG stand ready to clarify any further questions that departments may have on the PLL

Poland’s economy has recovered well in 2010–11, reflecting strong economic fundamentals and decisive countercyclical policies. Poland’s strong trade and financial links to Europe continue to make it vulnerable to potential shocks from the region. Despite the difficult external environment, the authorities have continued to rebuild policy space to counter adverse shocks. Measures are also being taken to strengthen medium- and long-term fiscal sustainability. The economy is expected to moderate further in 2013. Financial sector policies have helped improve the resilience of the banking system.

This paper discusses recent economic developments, outlook, and risks in the economy of Mexico. The economy continues to grow at a moderate pace. Growth reached 21⁄2 percent in 2015 and is projected to remain at a similar level in 2016. Global financial volatility has increased sharply over the last year, with significant spillovers to Mexico’s financial markets. The flexible credit line (FCL) has served the Mexican economy well. The previous FCL arrangements provided valuable insurance in the immediate aftermath of the 2008–09 global financial crisis and during the euro area crisis and the recent turbulent period in the run-up to the start of U.S. monetary policy normalization.

Poland’s macroeconomic performance was strong during the global crisis, supported by sound economic policies. The previous Flexible Credit Line (FCL) arrangements served the Polish economy well and provided adequate insurance against negative spillover risks. Executive Directors emphasized the need to implement economic policies that preserve macroeconomic stability. Against this background, Directors approved the request for a new two-year arrangement under the FCL, which would provide an essential buffer against a possible increase in risk aversion. The authorities intend to treat the new FCL arrangement as a precautionary instrument.

This review of the Flexible Credit Line (FCL), the Precautionary and Liquidity Line (PLL), and the Rapid Financing Instrument (RFI) focuses on four key issues: (i) the demand for the FCL and PLL in the context of the broader role of the Fund’s lending (including precautionary) instruments in the global financial safety net (GFSN); (ii) the qualification/conditionality framework for the FCL and the PLL; (iii) concerns about repeated usage of FCL arrangements by the same members and consideration of ways to further improve the transparency in the discussion of access/exit in the underlying staff documents; and (iv) the lack of demand for the RFI.

Traditionally, economics training in public finances has focused more on tax than public expenditure issues, and within expenditure, more on policy considerations than the more mundane matters of public expenditure management. For many years, the IMF's Public Expenditure Management Division has answered specific questions raised by fiscal economists on such missions. Based on this experience, these guidelines arose from the need to provide a general overview of the principles and practices observed in three key aspects of public expenditure management: budget preparation, budget execution, and cash planning. For each aspect of public expenditure management, the guidelines identify separately the differing practices in four groups of countries - the francophone systems, the Commonwealth systems, Latin America, and those in the transition economies. Edited by Barry H. Potter and Jack Diamond, this publication is intended for a general fiscal, or a general budget, advisor interested in the macroeconomic dimension of public expenditure management.