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Malta Membership of the International Monetary Fund Act (Cap. 209) Consolidated

CHAPTER 209

MALTA MEMBERSHIP OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND ACT

To enable Malta to become a member of the International Monetary

Fund.

(31st July, 1968)*

Enacted by ACT XXI of 1968, as amended by Acts XXXI of 1969 and XIX

of 2011.

l. This Act may be cited as the Malta Membership of the

International Monetary Fund Act.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

"Central Bank of Malta" means the bank established by article 3 of the Central Bank of Malta Act;
"Fund" means the International Monetary Fund established by the Fund Agreement;
"Fund Agreement" means the Articles of Agreemen t of the In ternational Mone tary Fund (being th e Articles of Agreement adopted at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference on the 22nd July, 1944) as set out in the Schedule to this Act, as from time to time ratified by Malta;
"Malta" has the same meaning as is assigned to it in article 124 of the Constitution;
"Membership Resolution" means the resolution adopted by the Board of G overnors of the Fun d , specifying the term s and conditions upon which Malta shall be admitted to membership of the Fund;
"Minister" means the Minister for the time being charged with responsibility for finance;
"Special Drawing Account" means the Special Drawing Account established by the Fund Agreement as modified by the amendments approved by the Board of Governors of the Fund on the 31st May,
1968;
"special dra w ing rights" me an s any special drawing rights ensuing from or in connection with participation in the Special Drawing Account.

3. The Minister is hereby authorised on behalf of the Government of Malta to sign the Fund Agreement and to deposit with th e Gov e r n ment of t h e Un ited S t ates the i n stru men t o f acceptance of the said Fund Ag reement and of the terms and conditions prescribed thereunder relating to the admission of Malta to membership, or by instrument under his hand to empower such person as may be named in such instrument to sign the said Fund

Short title.

Interpretation. Amended by: XXXI.1969.2; XIX. 2011.2. Cap. 204.

Authorisation for signing of and acceptance of the Fund Agreement.

*See Government Notice No. 549 of 31st July, 1968.

Authorisation for participation in the Special Drawing Account.

Added by: XXXI. 1969.3.

Effect of signature.

Amended by:

XXXI. 1969.4.

Financial provisions relating to membership in the Fund.

Amended by: XXXI. 1969.5.

Agreement and to deposit the sa id instru ment of acceptanc e as aforesaid.

4. The Minister is hereby authorised on behalf of the Government of Malta to take all such steps as may be necessary in order that Malta may become a participant in the Special Drawing Account and to that effect to deposit with the Fund such instrument as is necessary for the purpose of the said participation.

5. The provisions of the following articles shall have effect immediately that the Fund Agreement is signed as aforesaid except a s re ga rds t h e pro v i s i o ns o f p a ra gra p h ( b ) of subart icle (1) of article 6, of subarticle (4) of the same article and of subarticle (2) of article 7 of this Act, which shall have effect as from the date of the deposit by Malta with the Fund of the instrument referred to in
article 4 of this Act*.

6. (1) It shall be the function of the Central Bank of Malta -

(a) to pay the amounts from time to time payable to the Fund on account of Malta under the provisions of the Membership Resolution and Fund Agreement;
(b) on behalf of Malta to fulfil all its obligations, to exercise all its rights and to perform all its functions ensuing from Malta’s participation in the Special Drawing Account.
(2) The Central Bank of Malta may, if it thinks fit, create and issue to the Fund any such non-interest bearing and non-negotiable notes or other obligations as are provided for by Section 5 of Article III of the Fund Agreement (which Section relates to the acceptance by the Fund of notes or similar obligations in place of currency).
(3) The Central Bank of Malta is hereby authorised to receive from the Fund any sums relating to Malta’s subscription and any sums to be receiv ed by reason of operatio ns or transact ions between Malta and th e Fund un der Ar ticle V of the Fu nd Agreement.
(4) Any interest due to Malta or any charge or assessment due by Malta, as the case may be, by reason of Malta’s participation and position in the Special Drawing Account, shall be payable to or by the Central Bank of Malta on behalf of Malta.

Certain provisions of Fund Agreement given force of law in Malta.

Amended by: XXXI.1969.6.

7. (1) The provisions of Sections 2 and 9 inclusive of Article IX of the Fund Agreement and the first sentence of Section 2 (b) of Article VIII of the Fund Agreement shall have the force of law in Malta, so, however, that nothing in Section 9 of Article IX of the Fund Agreement shall be construed -
(a) as entitling the Fund to import goods free of customs duty without any restriction on their subsequent sale in Malta;
(b) as conferring on the Fund any exemption from taxes

*The Fund Agreement was signed on the 11th September, 1968 and the instrument referred to in article 4 of this Act was deposited on the 28th November, 1969.

and duties which form part of the price of goods acquired by the Fund in Malta; or
(c) as conferring on the Fund any exemption from taxes or duties which are in fact no more than charges for services rendered.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, no tax of any kind shall be levied on special drawing rights or on operations or transactions in special drawing rights.

8. The Minister may by order make such provisions as are necessary for carrying into effect any of the provisions of the Fund Agreement.

Power of Minister to make orders.

SCHEDULE

(SECTION 2)

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

Th e G ov ern me nt s on w ho se be hal f t h e present Agreement is s igne d agree a s follows:

Introductory Article

The International Monetary Fund is established and shall operate in accordance with the following provisions:

Article I. Purposes

The purposes of the International Monetary Fund are:
(i) To promote international monetary cooperation through a permanent institution which provides the machinery for consultation and collaboration on international monetary problems.
(ii) To facilitate the expansion and balanced growth of international trade, and to contribute thereby to the promotion and maintenance of high levels of em pl oyment and real income and to the development of the productive resources of all members as primary objectives of economic policy.
(iii) To promote exchange stability, to maintain orderly exchange arrangements among members, and to avoid competitive exchange depreciation.
(iv) To assist in the establishment of a multilateral system of payments in respect of current transactions between members and in the elimination of foreign exchange restrictions which hamper the growth of world trade.
(v) To give confidence to members by making the Fund’s resources available to them under adequate safeguards, thus providing them with opportunity to correct maladjustments in their balance of payments without resorting to measures destructive of national or international prosperity.
(vi) In accordance with the above, to shorten the duration and lessen the degree of disequilibrium in the international balances of payments of members.
The Fund shall be guided in all its decisions by the purposes set forth in this
Article.

Article II. Membership

SECTION 1. Original members. - The original members of the Fund shall be those of the countries represented at the United Natio ns Mon e tary and Financial Conference whose governments accept membership before the date specified in Article XX, Section 2 (e).
SECTION 2. Other members. - Membership shall be open to the governments of other countries at such times and in accordance with such terms as may be prescribed by the Fund.

Article III. Quotas and Subscriptions

SECTION 1. Quotas. - Each member shall be assigned a quota. The quotas of the members represented at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference which accept membership before the date specified in Article XX, Section 2 (e), shall be tho s e set forth in Sched u le A. The q uot as of ot her mem b ers shall be determined by the Fund.
SECTION 2. Adjustment of quotas. - The Fund shall at intervals of five years review, and if it deems it appropriate propose an adjustment of, the quotas of the members. It may also, if it thinks fit, consider at any other time the adjustment of any particular quota at the request of the member concerned. A four-fifths majority of the total voting power shall be required for any change in quotas and no quota shall be changed without the consent of the member concerned.
SECTION 3. Sub scri pti ons : ti me, pl ace, and f o rm o f payment . - ( a ) The subscription of each member shall be equal to its quota and shall be paid in full to th e Fund at th e appropriate depository on or before the date when the member becomes eligible under Article XX, Section 4 (c) or (d), to buy currencies from the Fund.
(b) Each member shall pay in gold, as a minimum, the smaller of
(i) twenty-five percent of its quota; or
(ii) ten percent of its net official holdings of gold and United States dollars as at the date when the Fund notifies members under Article XX, Section 4 (a) that it will shortly be in a position to begin exchange transactions.
Each member shall furnish to the Fund the data necessary to determine its net official holdings of gold and United States dollars.
(c) Each member shall pay the balance of its quota in its own currency.
(d) If the net official holdings of gold and United States dollars of any member as at the date referred to in (b) (ii) above are not ascertainable because its territories have been occupied by the enemy, the Fund shall fix an appropriate alternative date for determining such holdings. If such date is later than that on which the country becomes eligible under Article XX, Section 4 (c) or (d), to buy currencies from the Fund, the Fund and the member shall agree on a provisional gold payment to be made under (b) above, and the balance of the member ’s subscription shall be paid in the member ’s currency, subject to appropriate adjustment between the member and the Fund when the net official holdings have been ascertained.
SE CT IO N 4. Paymen ts when quo tas a re ch anged . - ( a ) Each member which consents to an increase in its quota shall, within thirty days after the date of its consent, pay to the Fund twenty-five percent of the increase in gold and the balance in its own currency. If, however, on the date when the member consents to an increase, its monetary reserves are less than its new quota, the Fund may reduce the proportion of the increase to be paid in gold.
(b) If a member consents to a reduction in its quota, the Fund shall, within thirty days after the date of t h e consent, pa y to the m e mber an am ount eq ual to the reduction. The payment shall be made in the member ’s currency and in such amount of gold as may be necessary to prevent reducing the Fund’s holdings of the currency below seventy-five percent of the new quota.
SECTION 5. Substitution of securities for currency. - The Fund shall accept from any member in place of any part of the member ’s currency which in the judgement of the Fund is not needed for its operations, notes or similar obligations issued by the member or the depository designated by the member under Article XIII, Section 2, which shall be non-negotiable, non-interest bearing and payable at their par value on demand by crediting the account of the Fund in the designated depository. This Section shall apply not only to currency subscribed by members but also to any currency otherwise due to, or acquired by, the Fund.

Article IV. Par Values of Currencies

SECTION 1. Expression of par values. - (a) The par value of the currency of each member shall be expressed in terms of gold as a common denominator or in terms of the United States dollars of the weight and fineness in effect on July 1, 1944.
(b) All computations relating to currencies of members for the purpose of applying the provisions of this Agreement shall be on the basis of their par values.
SECTION 2. Gold purchases based on par values. - The Fund shall prescribe a margin above and below par value for transactions in gold by members, and no member shall buy gold at a price above par value plus the prescribed margin, or sell gold at a price below par value minus the prescribed margin.
SECTION 3. Foreign exchange dealings based on parity.- The maximum and the minimum rates for exchange transactions between the currencies of members taking place within their territories shall not differ from parity
(i) in the case of spot exchange transactions, by more than one percent; and
(ii) in the case of other exchange transactions, by a margin which exceeds the margin for spot exchange transactions by more than the Fund considers reasonable.
SECTION 4. Obl i gati ons re g a rd ing exch ange stabi lity. - ( a ) Each memb er undertakes to collaborate with the Fund to promote exchange stability, to maintain orderly exchan ge arrangem e nts w ith other m e mbers, an d to avoi d com p eti tive exchange alterations.
(b) Each member undertakes, through appropriate measures consistent with this Agreemen t, to perm it wit h in it s territo ries e x change transa ctions between its currency and the currencies of other members only within the limits prescribed under Section 3 of this Article. A member whose monetary authorities, for the settlement of inter n ation a l tr ansacti ons, in f a ct fr eely bu y and sell gol d wit h in the li mit s prescribed by the Fund und er Sect io n 2 o f thi s Arti cle s h all be deemed to be fulfilling this undertaking.
SECTION 5. Changes in par values. - (a) A member shall not propose a change in the par value of its currency except to correct a fundamental disequilibrium.
(b) A change in the par value of a member’s currency may be made only on the proposal of the member and only after consultation with the Fund.
(c) When a change is proposed, the Fund shall first take into account the changes, if any, which ha ve alrea d y taken place in th e initial par value of the member ’s currency as determined under Article XX, Section 4. If the proposed change, together with all previous changes, whether increases or decreases,
(i) does not exceed ten percent of the initial par value, the Fund shall raise no objection;
(ii) does not exceed a further ten percent of the initial par value, the Fund may either concur or object, but shall declare its attitude within seventy-two hours if the member so requests;
(iii) is not within (i) or (ii) above, the Fund may either concur or object, but shall be entitled to a longer period in which to declare its attitude.
(d) Uniform changes in par values made under Section 7 of this Article shall not be taken into account in determining whether a proposed change falls within (i), (ii), or (iii) of (c) above.
(e) A member may change the par value of its currency without the concurrence of the Fund if the change does not affect the international transactions of members of the Fund.
(f) The Fund shall concur in a proposed change which is within the terms of (c) (ii ) or ( c ) ( iii ) abov e if it i s satisf i ed that the change is necessary to correct a fundamental disequilibrium. In particular, provided it is so satisfied, it shall not object to a proposed change because of the domestic social or political policies of the member proposing the change.
SECTION 6. Effect of unauthorized changes. - If a member changes the par value of its currency despite the objection of the Fund, in cases where the Fund is entitled to object, the member shall be ineligible to use the resources of the Fund unless the Fund otherwise determines; and if, after the expiration of a reasonable period, the difference between the member and the Fund continues, the matter shall be subject to the provisions of Article XV, Section 2 (b).
SECTION 7. Uniform changes in par values. - Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 5 (b) of this Article, the Fund by a majority of the total voting power may ma ke un iform p r op orti on ate ch ang e s in t h e par val u es of th e c u rre n ci es o f al l members, provided each such change is approved by every member which has ten percent or more of the total of the quotas. The par value of a member ’s currency shall, however, not be changed under this provision if, within seventy-two hours of the Fund’s action, the member informs the Fund that it does not wish the par value of its currency to be changed by such action.
SECTION 8. Maintenance of gold value of the Fund’s assets. - (a) The gold value of th e Fund’s assets shall be maintained notwithstanding changes in the pa r or foreign exchange value of the currency of any member.
(b) Whenever (i) the par value of a member ’s currency is reduced, or (ii) the foreign exchange value of a member ’s currency has, in the opinion of the Fund, depreciated to a significant extent within that member ’s territories, the member shall pay to the Fund within a reasonable time an amount of its own currency equal to the reduction in the gold value of its currency held by the Fund.
(c) Whenever the par value of a member ’s currency is increased, the Fund shall return to such member within a reasonable time an amount in its currency equal to the increase in the gold value of its currency held by the Fund.
(d) The provisions of this Section shall apply to a uniform proportionate change in the par values of the currencies of all members, unless at the time when such a change is proposed the Fund decides otherwise.
SECTION 9. Separate currencies within a member ’s territories. - A memb er propo sin g a chan ge in th e p a r val u e of its currency shall be deemed, unless it declares otherwise, to be proposing a corresponding change in the par value of the s e parate currencies of all territories in respect of which it has accepted this Agreement under Article XX, Section 2 (g). It shall, however, be open to a member to declare that its proposal relates either to the metropolitan currency alone, or only to one or more specified separate currencies, or to the metropolitan currency and one or more specified separate currencies.

Article V. Transactions with the Fund

SECTION 1. Agencies dealing with the Fund. - Each member shall deal with the Fund only through its Treasury, central bank, stabilization fund, or other similar fiscal agency and the Fund shall deal only with or through the same agencies.
SECTION 2. Limitation on the Fund’s operations. - Except as otherwise provided in this Agreement, operations on the account of the Fun d shall be limited to tran sact ions for the p u rp ose of su pply i ng a mem b er, on t h e in itiat i ve of such member, with the currency of another member in exchange for gold or for the currency of the member desiring to make the purchase.
SECTION 3. Conditions governing use of the Fund’s resources. - (a) A member shall be entitled to buy the currency of another member from the Fund in exchange for its own currency subject to the following conditions:
(i) The member desiring to purchase the currency represents that it is presently needed for making in that currency payments which are consistent with the provisions of this Agreement;
(ii) The Fund has not given notice under Article VII, Section 3, that its holdings of the currency desired have become scarce;
(iii) The proposed purchase would not cause the Fund’s holdings of the purchasing member ’s currency to increase by more than twenty-five percent of its quota during the period of twelve months ending on the date of the purchase nor to exceed two hundred percent of its quota, but the twenty-five percent limitation shall apply only to the extent that the Fund’s holdings of the member ’s currency have been brought above seventy-five percent of its quota if they had been below that amount;
(iv) The Fund has not previously declared under Section 5 of this Article, Article IV, Section 6, Article VI, Section 1, or Article XV, Section 2 (a), that the member desiring to purchase is ineligible to use the resources of the Fund.
(b) A member shall not be entitled without the permission of the Fund to use the
Fund’s resources to acquire currency to hold against forward exchange transactions.
SECTION 4. Waiver of conditions. - The Fund may in its discretion, and on terms which safeguard its interests, waive any of the conditions prescribed in Section 3 (a) of this Article, especially in the case of members with a record of avoiding large or cont inu ous use o f the Fund ’s reso urces. In m a king a wai v er it sh all t a ke i n to consideration periodic or exceptional requirements of the member requesting the waiver. The Fund shall also take into consideration a member ’s willingness to pledge as collateral security gold, silver, securities, or other acceptable assets having a value sufficient in the opinion of the Fund to protect its interests and may require as a condition of waiver the pledge of such collateral security.
SECTION 5. Ineligibility to use the Fund’s resources. - Whenever the Fund is of the opinion that any member is using the resources of the Fund in a manner contrary to the purposes of the Fund, it shall present to the member a report setting forth the views of the Fund and prescribing a suitable time for reply. After presenting such a report to a member, the Fund may limit the use of its resources by the member. If no reply to the report is received from the member within the prescribed time, or if the reply received is unsatisfactory, the Fund may continue to limit the member ’s use of the Fund’s resources or may, after giving reasonable notice to the member, declare it ineligible to use the resources of the Fund.
SECTION 6. Purchases of currencies from the Fund for gold. - (a) Any member desiring to obtain, directly or indirectly, the currency of another member for gold shall, provided that it can do so with equal advantage, acquire it by the sale of gold to the Fund.
(b) Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to preclude any member from selling in any market gold newly produced from mines located within its territories.
SECTION 7. Repurchase by a member of its currency held by the Fund. - (a) A member may repurchase from the Fund and the Fund shall sell for gold any part of the Fund’s holdings of its currency in excess of its quota.
(b) At the end of each financial year of the Fund, a member shall repurchase from the Fund with gold or convertible currencies, as determined in accordance with Sch e d u l e B, part of th e Fund ’s hol di ngs of its cu rrency un der t h e fo ll owi n g conditions:
(i) Each member shall use in repurchases of its own currency from the Fund an amount of its monetary reserves equal in value to one-half of any increase that has occurred during the year in the Fund’s holdings of its currency plus one-half of any increase, or minus one-half of any decrease, that has occurred during the year in the member ’s monetary reserves. This rule shall not apply when a member ’s monetary reserves have decreased during the year by more than the Fund’s holdings of its currency have increased.
(ii) If after the repurchase described in (i) above (if required) has been made, a member ’s holdings of another member ’s currency (or of gold acquired from that member) are found to have increased by reason of transactions in terms of that currency with other mem b ers or per sons in their territories, the member whose holdings of such currency (or gold) have thus increased shall use the increase to repurchase its own currency from the Fund.
(c) None of the adjustments described in (b) above shall be carried to a point at which
(i) the member ’s monetary reserves are below its quota, or
(ii) the Fund’s holdings of its currency are below seventy-five percent of its quota, or
(iii) the Fund’s holdings of any currency required to be used are above seventy- five percent of the quota of the member concerned.
SECTION 8. Charges. - (a) Any member buying the currency of another member from the Fund in exchange for its own currency shall pay a service charge uniform for all members of three-fourths percent in addition to the parity price. The Fund in its discretion may increase this service charge to not more than one percent or reduce it to not less than one-half percent.
(b) The Fund may levy a reasonable handling charge on any member buying gold from the Fund or selling gold to the Fund.
(c) The Fund shall levy charges uniform for all members which shall be payable by any member on the average daily balances of its currency held by the Fund in excess of its quota. These charges shall be at the following rates:
(i) On amounts not more than twenty-five percent in excess of the quota: no charge for the first three months; one-half percent per annum for the next nine months; and thereafter an increase in the charge of one-half percent for each subsequent year.
(ii) On amounts more than twenty-five percent and not more than fifty percent in excess of the quota: an additional one-half percent for the first year; and an additional one-half percent for each subsequent year.
(iii) On each additional bracket of twenty-five percent in excess of the quota: an additional one-half percent for the fi rst year; and an additional one-half percent for each subsequent year.
(d) Whenever the Fund’s holdings of a member ’s currency are such that the charge applicable to any bracket for any period has reached the rate of four percent per annum, the Fund and the member shall consider means by which the Fund’s holdings of the c u rrency ca n be re duc e d. Thereafter, the charges shall ris e in accordance with the provisions of (c) above until they reach five percent and failing agreement, the Fund may then impose such charges as it deems appropriate.
(e) The rates referred to in (c) and (d) above may be changed by a three-fourths majority of the total voting power.
(f) All charges shall be paid in gold. If, however, the member ’s monetary reserves are less than one-half of its quota, it shall pay in gold only that proportion of the charges due which such reserves bear to one-half of its quota, and shall pay the balance in its own currency.

Article VI. Capital Transfers

SECTION 1. Use of the Fund’s resources for capital transfers. - (a) A member may not make net use of the Fund’s resources to meet a large or sustained out flow of capital, and the Fund may request a member to exercise controls to prevent such use of the resources of the Fund. If, after receiving such a request, a member fails to exercise appropriate controls, the Fund may declare the member ineligible to use the resources of the Fund.
(b) Nothing in this Section shall be deemed
(i) to prevent the use of the resources of the Fund for capital transactions of reasonable amount required for the expansion of exports or in the ordinary course of trade, banking or other business, or
(ii) to affect capital movements which are met out of a member ’s own resources of gold and foreign exchange, but members undertake tha t such capital movements will be in accordance with the purposes of the Fund.
SECTION 2. Special provisions for capital transfers. - If the Fund’s holdings of the currency of a member have remained below seventy-five percent of its quota for an immediately preceding period of not less than six months, such member, if it has not been declared ineligible to use the resources of the Fund under Section 1 of this Article, Article IV, Section 6, Article V, Section 5, or Article XV, Section 2 (a), shall be entitled, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 1 (a) of this Article, to buy the currency of another member from the Fund with its own currency for any purpose, including capital transfers. Purchases for capital transfers under this Section shall not, however, be permitted if they have the effect of raising the Fund’s holdings of the currency of the member desiring to purchase above seventy-five per cent of its quota, or of reducing the Fund’s holdings of the currency desired below seventy-five percent of the quota of the member whose currency is desired.
SECTION 3. Controls of capital transfers. - Members may exercise such controls as are necessary to regulate international capital movements, but no member may exercis e these controls in a manner wh ich will restrict payments for current transaction s or whi c h will undul y delay transf ers of fu nds in settlemen t of commitments, except as provided in Article VII, Section 3 (b), and in Article XIV, Section 2.

Article VII. Scarce Currencies

SECTION 1. General scarcity of currency. - If the Fund finds that a general scarcity of a particular currency is developing, the Fund may so inform members and may i s su e a repo rt sett in g f o r t h th e causes of the scarcity and containing recommendations designed to bring it to an end. A representative of the member
whose currency is involved shall participate in the preparation of the report.
SECTION 2. Measures to replenish the Fund’s holdings of scarce currencies. - The Fund may, if it deems such action appropriate to replenish its holdings of any member ’s currency, take either or both of the following steps:
(i) Propose to the member that, on terms and conditions agreed between the Fund and the member, the latter lend its currency to the Fund or that, with the approval of the member, the Fund borrow such currency from some other source either within or outside the territories of the member, but no member shall be under any obligation to make such loans to the Fund or to approve the borrowing of its currency by the Fund from any other source.
(ii) Require the member to sell its currency to the Fund for gold.
SECTION 3. Scarcity of the Fund’s holdings. - (a) If it becomes evident to the Fund that the demand for a member ’s currency seriously threatens the Fund’s ability to supply that currency, the Fund, whether or not it has issued a report under Section
1 of this Article, shall formally declare such currency scarce and shall thenceforth apportion its existing and accruing supply of the scarce currency with due regard to
the relative needs of members, the general international economic situation, and any other pertinent considerations. The Fund shall also issue a report concerning its action.
(b) A formal declaration under (a) above shall operate as an authorization to any member, after consultation with the Fund, temporarily to impose limitations on the freedom of exchange operations in the scarce currency. Subject to the provisions of Article I V, Sect ions 3 and 4, the memb er shall h a ve complete jurisdictio n in determining the nature of such limitations, but they shall be no more restrictive than is necessary to limit the demand for the scarce currency to the supply held by, or accruing to, the memb er in questio n; and they shal l be relaxed and rem oved as rapidly as conditions permit.
(c) The authorization under (b) above shall expire whenever the Fund formally declares the currency in question to be no longer scarce.
SECTION 4. Administration of restrictions. - Any member imposing restrictions in respect of the currency of any other member pursuant to the provisions of Section
3 (b) of this Article shall give sympathetic consideration to any representations by the other member regarding the administration of such restrictions.
SECTION 5. Effect of other international agreements on restrictions. - Members agree not to invoke the obligations of any engagem ents entered into with other members prior to this Agreement in such a manner as will prevent the operation of the provisions of this Article.

Article VIII. General Obligations of Members

SECTION 1. Introduction. - In addition to the obligations assumed under other articles of this Agreement, each member undertakes the obligations set out in this Article.
SECTION 2. Avoidance of restrictions on current payments. - (a) Subject to the provisions of Article VII, Section 3 (b), and Article XIV, Section 2, no member shall, witho u t the ap proval of the Fund, impose restrict ions on th e making of payments and transfers for current international transactions.
(b) Exchange contracts which involve the currency of any member and which ar e co nt rary to the exchange control regulations of that member ma in tained or imposed consistently with this Agreement shall be unenforceable in the territories of
any member. In addition, members may, by mutual accord, co-operate in measures for the purpose of making the exchange control regulations of either member more effective, provided that suc h measures and regu lati ons are consistent with th is Agreement.
SECTION 3. Avoidance of discriminatory currency practices. - No member shall engage in, or permit any of its fiscal agencies referred to in Article V, Section l, to engage in, any discriminatory currency arrangements or multiple currency practices excep t as auth orized under th is Agre emen t or approved by th e Fund. If su ch arrangements and practices are engaged in at the date when this Agreement enters into force the member concerned shall consult with the Fund as to their progressive removal unless they are maintained or imposed under Article XIV, Section 2, in which case the provisions of Section 4 of that Article shall apply.
SECTION 4. Convertibility of foreign held balances. - (a) Each member shall buy balances of it s cur rency held by anoth er mem ber if the latt er, in r eq uesti ng the purchase, represents
(i) that the balances to be bought have been recently acquired as a result of current transactions; or
(ii) that their conversion is needed for making payments for current transactions. The buying member shall have the option to pay either in the currency of the
member making the request or in gold.
(b) The obligation in (a) above shall not apply
(i) when the convertibility of the balances has been restricted consistently with
Section 2 of this Article, or Article VI, Section 3; or
(ii) when the balances have accumulated as a result of transactions effected before the removal by a member of restrictions maintained or imposed under Article XIV, Section 2; or
(iii) when the balances have been acquired contrary to the exchange regulations of the member which is asked to buy them; or
(iv) when the currency of the member requesting the purchase has been declared scarce under Article VII, Section 3 (a); or
(v) when the member requested to make the purchase is for any reason not entit led to buy currencies of other mem b ers from the Fun d fo r it s own currency.
SECTION 5. Furnishing of information. - (a) The Fund may require members to furnish it with such information as it deems necessary for its operations, including, as the minimum necessary for the effective discharge of the Fund’s duties, national data on the following matters:
(i) Official holdings at home and abroad, of (1) gold, (2) foreign exchange.
(ii) Holdings at home and abroad by banking and financial agencies, other than official agencies, of (1) gold, (2) foreign exchange.
(iii) Production of gold.
(iv) Gold exports and imports according to countries of destination and origin.
(v) Total exports and imports of merchandise, in terms of local currency values, according to countries of destination and origin.
(vi) International balance of payments, including (1) trade in goods and services, (2) gold transactions, (3) known capital transactions, and (4) other items.
(vii) International investment position, i.e., investments within the territories of the member owned abroad and investments abroad owned by persons in its territories so far as it is possible to furnish this information.
(viii) National income.
(ix) Price indices, i.e., indices of commodity prices in wholesale and retail markets and of export and import prices.
(x) Buying and selling rates for foreign currencies.
(xi) Exchange controls, i.e., a comprehensive statement of exchange controls in effect at the t ime of assumi ng memb er sh ip in the Fu nd an d d e t a i l s of subsequent changes as they occur.
(xii) Where official clearing arrangements exist, details of amounts awaiting clearance in respect of commercial and financial transactions, and of the length of time during which such arrears have been outstanding.
(b) In requesting information the Fund shall take into consideration the varying ab il it y of memb ers to f u rn ish t h e dat a req u est e d . Memb ers shal l be u n d e r no obligation to furnish information in such detail that the affairs of individuals or corporations are disclosed. Members undertake, however, to furnish the desired information in as detailed and accurate a manner as is practicable, and, so far as possible, to avoid mere estimates.
(c) The Fund may arrange to obtain further information by agreement with members. It shall act as a centre for the collection and exchange of information on mo net a ry and financial prob lems, th us facili tat i ng t h e preparatio n of stu d ies designed to assist members in developing policies which further the purposes of the Fund.
SECT ION 6. Consultation between members regarding existing international agreements. - Where under this Agreement a member is authorized in the special or temporary circumstances s p ecified in th e Ag reem ent to main tain or establ ish restrictions on exchange transactions, and there are other engagements between members entered into prior to this Agreement which conflict with the application of such restrictions, the parties to such engagements will consult with one another with a view to making such mutually acceptable adjustments as may be necessary. The provisions of this Article shall be without prejudice to the operation of Article VII, Section 5.

Article IX. Status, Immunities and Privileges

SECTION 1. Purposes of Article. - To enable the Fund to fulfil the functions with which it is entrusted, the status, immunities and privileges set forth in this Article shall be accorded to the Fund in the territories of each member.
SE CT IO N 2 . St a t us of t h e Fun d . - The Fund shall pos s ess full juridical personality, and in particular, the capacity
(i) to contract;
(ii) to acquire and dispose of immovable and movable property; (iii) to institute legal proceedings.
SECTION 3. Immunity from judicial process. - The Fund, its property and its assets, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall enjoy immunity from every form of judicial process except to the extent that it expressly waives its immunity for the purpose of any proceedings or by the terms of any contract.
SECTION 4. Immunity from other action. - Property and assets of the Fund, wherev er lo cat e d and by wh omsoever he ld, shall be immune from s earch, requisition, confiscation, expropriation or any other form of seizure by executive or legislative action.
SECTION 5. Immunity of archives. - The archives of the Fund shall be inviolable. SECTION 6. Freedom of assets from restrictions. - To the extent necessary to
carry out the operations provided for in this Agreement, all property and assets of the
Fund shall be free from restrictions, regulations, controls and moratoria of any nature.
SECTION 7. Privilege for communications. - The official communications of the Fund shall be accorded by members the same treatment as the of ficial communications of other members.
SECTION 8. Immunities and privileges of officers and employees. - All governors, executive directors, alternates, officers and employees of the Fund
(i) shall be immune from legal process with respect to acts performed by them in their official capacity except when the Fund waives this immunity;
(ii) not being local nationals, shall be granted the same immunities from immigration restrictions, alien registration requirements and national service obligations and the same facilities as regards exchange restrictions as are accorded by members to the representatives, officials, and employees of comparable rank of other members;
(iii) shall be granted the same treatment in respect of travelling facilities as is accorded by me mbers to repres enta tives , of ficials and employees of comparable rank of other members.
SECTION 9. Im mu nit i es f rom ta xa ti on. - ( a ) The Fund, its asse ts, prope r ty, income and its operations and transactions authorized by this Agreement, shall be imm une from all taxation and fro m all cu st oms duties. The Fund shal l al so be immune from liability for the collection or payment of any tax or duty.
(b) No tax shall be levied on or in respect of salaries and emoluments paid by the Fund to executive directors, alternates, officers or employees of the Fund who are not local citizens, local subjects, or other local nationals.
(c) No taxation of any kind shall be levied on any obligation or security issued by the Fund, including any dividend or interest thereon, by whomsoever held
(i) which discriminates against such obligation or security solely because of its origin; or
(ii) if the sole jurisdictional basis for such taxation is the place or currency in which it is issued, made payable or paid, or the location of any office or place of business maintained by the Fund.
SECTION 10. Application of Article. - Each member shall take such action as is necessary in its own territories for the purpose of making effective in terms of its own law the principles set forth in this Article and shall inform the Fund of the detailed action which it has taken.

Article X. Relations with Other International Organizations

The Fund shall cooperate within the terms of this Agreement with any general international organi zati on and with pub lic i n ternati onal organization s h a ving specialized responsibilities in related fields. Any arrangements for such cooperation which would involve a modification of any provision of this Agreement may be
effected only after amendment to this Agreement under Article XVII.

Article XI. Relations with Non-member Countries

SECTION 1. Undertakings regarding relations with non-member countries. - Each member undertakes:
(i) Not to engage in, nor to permit any of its fiscal agencies referred to in Article V, Section 1, to engage in, any transactions with a non-member or with persons in a non-member ’s territories which would be contrary to the provisions of this Agreement or the purposes of the Fund;
(ii) Not to cooperate with a non-member or with persons in a non-member ’s territories in practices which would be contrary to the provisions of this Agreement or the purposes of the Fund; and
(iii) To cooperate with the Fund with a view to the application in its territories of appropriate measures to prevent transactions with non-members or with persons in their territories which would be contrary to the provisions of this Agreement or the purposes of the Fund.
SECTION 2. Restrictions on transactions with non-member countries. - Nothing in this Agreement shall affect the right of any member to impose restrictions on exchange transactions with non-members or with persons in their territories unless the Fund finds that such restrictions prejudice the interests of members and are contrary to the purposes of the Fund.

Article XII. Organization and Management

SECTION 1. Structure of the Fund. - The Fund shall have a Board of Governors, Executive Directors, a Managing Director, and a staff.
SECTION 2. Board of Governors. - (a) All powers of the Fund shall be vested in the Board of Governors, consisting of one governor and one alternate appointed by each member in such manner as it may determine. Each governor and each alternate shall serve for five years, subject to the pleasure of the member appointing him, and may be reappointed. No alternate may vote except in the absence of his principal. The Board shall select one of the governors as chairman.
(b) The Board of Governors may delegate to the Executive Directors authority to exercise any powers of the Board, except the power to:
(i) Admit new members and determine the conditions of their admission. (ii) Approve a revision of quotas.
(iii) Approve a uniform change in the par value of the currencies of all members.
(iv) Make arrangements to cooperate with other international organizations (o ther th an in formal arrangements of a tem p orary or administrative character).
(v) Determine the distribution of the net income of the Fund. (vi) Require a member to withdraw.
(vii) Decide to liquidate the Fund.
(viii) Decide appeals from interpretations of this Agreement given by the
Executive Directors.
(c) The Board of Governors shall hold an annual meeting and such other meetings as may be provided for by the Board or called by the Executive Directors. Meetings of the Board shall be called by the Directors whenever requested by five
members or by members having one-quarter of the total voting power.
(d) A quorum for any meeting of the Board of Governors shall be a majority of the governors exercising not less than two-thirds of the total voting power.
(e) Each governor shall be entitled to cast the number of votes allotted under
Section 5 of this Article to the member appointing him.
(f) The Board of Governors may by regulation establish a procedure whereby the Executive Directors, when they deem such action to be in the best interests of the Fund, may obtain a vote of the governors on a specific question without calling a meeting of the Board.
(g) The Board of Governors, and the Executive Directors to the extent authorized, may adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary or appropriate to conduct the business of the Fund.
(h) Governors and alternates shall serve as such without compensation from the Fu nd, but the Fun d shall pay th em reaso n able expens es incurred in attending meetings.
(i) The Board of Governors shall determine the remuneration to be paid to the Executive Dire ctors and the salary and te rm s of th e cont ract o f serv ice of th e Managing Director.
SECTION 3. Ex e c u tiv e Dire ct or s. - ( a ) The Exec utive Dire ctors sha l l be responsible for the conduct of the ge neral operations of the Fund , and for this purpose shall exercise all the powers delegated to them by the Board of Governors.
(b) There shall be not less than twelve directors who need not be governors, and of whom
(i) five shall be appointed by the five members having the largest quotas;
(ii) not more than two shall be appointed when the provisions of (c) below apply;
(iii) five shall be elected by the members not entitled to appoint directors, other than the American Republics; and
(iv) two shall be elected by the American Republics not entitled to appoint directors.
For the purposes of this paragraph, members means governments of countries wh ose names are set fort h in Sched u le A, wheth e r they b e come member s in ac cordance with Article XX or in ac co rdance with Article II, Section 2. When governments of other countries become members, the Board of Governors may, by a four-fifths majority of the total voting power, increase the number of directors to be elected.
(c) If, at the second regular election of directors and thereafter, the members entitled to appoint directors under (b) (i) above do not include the two members, the ho ldin gs of whose currenci e s b y th e Fu nd h a v e b e en, o n th e average over th e preceding two years, reduced below their quotas by the largest absolute amounts in terms of gold as a common denominator, either one or both of such members, as the case may be, shall be entitled to appoint a director.
(d) Subject to Article XX, Section 3 (b) elections of elective directors shall be conducted at intervals of two years in accordance with the provisions of Schedule C, supplemented by such regulations as the Fund deems appropriate. Whenever the Board of Governors increases the number of directors to be elected under (b) above, it shall issue regulations making appropriate changes in the proportion of votes
required to elect directors under the provisions of Schedule C.
(e) Each director shall appoint an alternate with full power to act for him when he is not present. When the directors appointing them are present, alternates may participate in meetings but may not vote.
(f) Directors shall continue in office until their successors are appointed or elected. If the office of an elected director becomes vacant more than ninety days before the end of his term, another director shall be elected for the remainder of the term by the members who elected the former director. A majority of the votes cast shall be required for election. While the office remains vacant, the alternate of the former director shall exercise his powers, except that of appointing an alternate.
(g) The Executive Directors shall function in continuous session at the principal office of the Fund and shall meet as often as the business of the Fund may require.
(h) A quorum for any meeting of the Executive Directors shall be a majority of the directors representing not less than one-half of the voting power.
(i) Each appointed director shall be entitled to cast the number of votes allotted under Section 5 of this Article to the member appointing him. Each elected director shall be entitled to cast the number of votes which counted towards his election. When the provisions of Section 5 (b) of this Article are applicable, the votes which a di rec t or w o ul d ot h e rw i s e b e en t i t l e d t o c a st shall be incre a se d or decre a se d correspondingly. All the votes which a director is entitled to cast shall be cast as a unit.
(j) The Board of Governors shall adopt regulations under which a member not entitled to appoint a director under (b) above may send a representative to attend any meeting of the Executive Directors when a request made by, or a matter particularly affecting, that member is under consideration.
(k) The Executive Directors may appoint such committees as they deem advisable. Membership of committees need not be limited to governors or directors or their alternates.
SECTION 4. Managing Director and staff. - (a) The Executive Directors shall select a Managing Director who shall not be a governor or an executive director. The Managing Director shall be chairman of the Executive Directors, but shall have no vote except a decidin g vot e in case of an equal d ivision. He m ay participate in meeti ngs o f t h e Board of Gov e r nors, but shall no t v o t e at such meeti ngs. The Managing Director shall cease to hold office when the Executive Direct ors so decide.
(b) The Managing Director shall be chief of the operating staff of the Fund and shall conduct, under the direction of the Executive Directors, the ordinary business of the Fund. Subject to the general control of the Executive Directors, he shall be responsible for the organization, appointment and dismissal of the staff of the Fund.
(c) The Managing Director and the staff of the Fund, in the discharge of their functions, shall owe their duty entirely to the Fund and to no other authority. Each member of the Fund shall respect the international character of this duty and shall r e frain from al l attempts to i n flu e n c e any of t h e staff in the d i sch a rg e o f hi s functions.
(d) In appointing the staff the Managing Director shall, subject to the paramount importanc e of securing the highes t sta ndards of ef ficienc y and of te chnical competence, pay due regard to the importance of recruiting personnel on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
SECTION 5. Voting. - (a) Each member shall have two hundred fifty votes plus one additional vote for each part of its quota equivalent to one hundred thousand United States dollars.
(b) Whenever voting is required under Article V, Section 4 or 5, each member shall have the number of votes to which it is entitled under (a) above, adjusted
(i) by the addition of one vote for the equivalent of each four hundred thousand United States dollars of net sales of its currency up to the date when the vote is taken, or
(ii) by the subtraction of one vote for the equivalent of each four hundred thousand United States dollars of its net purchases of the currencies of other members up to the date when the vote is taken; provided, that neither net purchases nor net sales shall be deemed at any time to exceed an amount equal to the quota of the member involved.
(c) For the purpose of all computations under this Section, United States dollars shall be deemed to be of the weight and fineness in effect on July 1, 1944, adjusted for any uniform change under Article I V, S ection 7, if a waiver is made under Section 8 (d) of that Article.
(d) Except as otherwise specifically provided, all decisions of the Fund shall be made by a majority of the votes cast.
SECTION 6. Distribution of net income . - ( a ) The Board of Governors shall determine annually what part of the Fund’s net income shall be placed to reserve and what part, if any, shall be distributed.
(b) If any distribution is made, there shall first be distributed a two percent non- cumulative payment to each member on the amount by which seventy-five percent of its quota exceeded the Fund’s average holdings of its currency during that year. The balance shall be paid to all members in proportion to their quotas. Payments to each member shall be made in its own currency.
SECTION 7. Publication of reports. - (a) The Fund shall publish an annual report containing an audited statement of its accounts, and shall issue, at intervals of three months or less, a summary statement of its transactions and its holdings of gold and currencies of members.
(b) The Fund may publish such other reports as it deems desirable for carrying out its purposes.
SECTION 8. Communication of views to members. - The Fund shall at all times have the right to communicate its views informally to any member on any matter arising under this Agreement. The Fund may, by a two-thirds majority of the total voting power, decide to publish a report made to a member regarding its monetary or economic conditions and developments which directly tend to produce a serious disequilibrium in the international balance of payments of members. If the member is not entitled to appoint an executive director, it shall be entitled to representation in accordance with Section 3 (j) of this Article. The Fund shall not publish a report involving changes in the fundamental structure of the economic organization of members.

Article XIII. Offices and Depositories

SE CTIO N 1. Locat i on of offices. - The principal office of the Fund shall be located in the territory of the member having the largest quota, and agencies or branch offices may be established in the territories of other members.
SECTION 2. Depositories. - (a) Each member country shall designate its central bank as a depository for all the Fund’s holdings of its currency, or if it has no central bank it shall designate such other institution as may be acceptable to the Fund.
(b) The Fund may hold other assets, including gold, in the depositories d e sign ated b y th e fi ve members having the lar g est quo tas and i n such ot her designated depositories as the Fund may select. Initially, at least one-half of the holdings of the Fund shall be held in the depository designated by the member in whose territories the Fund has its principal office and at least forty percent shall be held in the depositories designated by the remaining four members referred to above. However, all transfers of gold by the Fund shall be made with due regard to the costs of transport and ant i cip a ted requ iremen ts of the Fund. In an emer gency the Executive Directors may transfer all or any part of the Fund’s gold holdings to any place where they can be adequately protected.
SECTION 3. Guarantee of the Fund’s assets. - Each member guarantees all assets of the Fund against loss resulting from failure or default on the part of the depository designated by it.

Article XIV. Transitional Period

SECTION 1. Introduction. - The Fund is not intended to provide facilities for relief or reconstruction or to deal with international indebtedness arising out of the war.
SECTION 2. Exchange restrictions. - In the post-war transitional period members may, not wit h stand i ng th e pro v isi ons o f any ot her art i cles of thi s Ag reement , maintain and adapt to changing circumstances (and, in the case of members whose territories have been occupied by the enemy, introduce where necessary) restrictions on payments and transfers for current international transactions. Members shall, however, have continuous regard in their foreign exchange policies to the purposes of the Fund; and, as soon as conditions permit, they shall take all possible measures to develop such commercial and financial arrangements with other members as will fa cilitate in ternational payments and the ma inte nance of exchange stability. In particular, members shall withdraw restrictions maintained or imposed under this Section as soon as they are satisfied that they will be able, in the absence of such restrictions, to settle their balance of payments in a manner which will not unduly encumber their access to the resources of the Fund.
SECTION 3. Notification to the Fund. - Each member shall notify the Fund before it becomes eligible under Article XX, Section 4 (c) or (d), to buy currency from the Fund, whether it intends to avail itself of the transitional arrangements in Section 2 of this Article, or whether it is prepared to accept the obligations of Article VIII, Sections 2, 3, and 4. A member availing itself of the transitional arrangements shall notify the Fund as soon thereafter as it is prepared to accept the above-mentioned obligations.
SECTION 4. Action of the Fund relating to restrictions. - Not later than three years after the date on which the Fund begins operations and in each year thereafter, the Fund shall report on the restrictions still in force under Section 2 of this Article. Five years after the date on which the Fund begins operations, and in each year thereafter, any member still retaining any restrictions inconsistent with Article VIII, Sections 2, 3, or 4, shall consult the Fund as to their further retention. The Fund may, if it deems such action necessary in exceptional circumstances, make representations to any member that conditions are favourable for the withdrawal of any particular restriction, or for the general abandonment of restrictions, inconsistent with the provisions of any other article of this Agreement. The member shall be given a suitable time to reply to such representations. If the Fund finds that the member
persists in maintaining restrictions which are inconsistent with the purposes of the
Fund, the member shall be subject to Article XV, Section 2 (a).
SECTION 5. Nature of transitional period. - In its relations with members, the Fund shall recognize that the post-war transitional period will be one of change and adjustm ent and i n making decisions on requests occasioned thereby which are presented by any member it shall give the member the benefit of any reasonable doubt.

Article XV. Withdrawal from Membership

SECTION 1. Right of members to withdraw. - Any member may withdraw from the Fund at any time by transmitting a notice in writing to the Fund at its principal office. Withdrawal shall become effective on the date such notice is received.
SECTION 2. Compulsory withdrawal. - (a) If a member fails to fulfil any of its obligations under this Agreement, the Fund may declare the member ineligible to use th e resou rces o f t he Fun d. Not hin g i n t his Secti on sh all be deem ed to lim it the provisions of Article IV, Section 6, Article V, Section 5, or Article VI, Section 1.
(b) If, after the expiration of a reasonable period the member persists in its failure to fulfil any of its obligations under this Agreement, or a difference between a member and the Fund under Article IV, Section 6, continues, that member may be required to withdraw from membership in the Fund by a decision of the Board of Governors carried by a majority of the governors representing a majority of the total voting power.
(c) Regulations shall be adopted to ensure that before action is taken against any member under (a) or (b) above, the member shall be informed in reasonable time of the complaint against it and given an adequate opportunity for stating its case, both orally and in writing.
SECTION 3. Settlement of accounts with members withdrawing. - When a member withdraws from the Fund, normal transactions of the Fund in its currency shall cease and settlement of all accounts between it and the Fund shall be made with reasonable despatch by agreement between it and the F u nd. I f agre em ent is not rea c h e d promptly, the provisions of Schedule D shall apply to the settlement of accounts.

Article XVI. Emergency Provisions

SECTION 1. Temporary suspension. - (a) In the event of an emergency or the development of unforeseen circumstances threatening the operations of the Fund, the Executive Directors by unanimous vote may suspend for a period of not more than one hundred twenty days the operation of any of the following provisions:
(i) Article IV, Sections 3 and 4 (b).
(ii) Article V, Sections 2, 3, 7, 8 (a) and (f). (iii) Article VI, Section 2.
(iv) Article XI, Section 1.
( b ) Simultaneously with any decision to suspend the operation of any of the foregoing provisions, the Executive Directors shall call a meeting of the Board of Governors for the earliest practicable date.
(c) The Executive Directors may not extend any suspension beyond one hundred twenty days. Such suspension may be extended, however, for an additional period of not more than two hundred forty days, if the Board of Governors by a four- fif t hs majorit y o f the to tal vo ting power so deci des, but it may n o t b e furth e r extended except by amendment of this Agreement pursuant to Article XVII.
(d) The Executive Directors may, by a majority of the total voting power, terminate such suspension at any time.
SECTION 2. Liquidation of the Fund. - (a) The Fund may not be liquidated except by decision of the Board of Governors. In an emergency, if the Executive Directors decide that liquidation of the Fund may be necessary, they may temporarily suspend all transactions, pending decision by the Board.
(b) If the Board of Governors decides to liquidate the Fund, the Fund shall forthwith cease to engage in any activities except those incidental to the orderly collection and liquidation of its assets and the settlement of its liabilities, and all obligations of members under this Agreement shall cease except those set out in this Article, in Article XVIII, paragraph (c), in Schedule D, paragraph 7, and in Schedule E.
(c) Liquidation shall be administered in accordance with the provisions of
Schedule E.

Article XVII. Amendments

(a) Any proposal to introduce modifications in this Agreement, whether em anating from a member, a governor or the Executive Directors, shall be communicated to th e chairman of the Board of G overnors wh o shal l b r in g t h e proposal before the Board. If the proposed amendment is approved by the Board the Fund shall, by circular letter or telegram, ask all members whether they accept the proposed amendment. When three-fifths of the members, having four-fifths of the total voting power, have accepted the proposed amendment, the Fund shall certify the fact by a formal communication addressed to all members.
(b) Notwithstanding (a) above, acceptance by all members is required in the case of any amendment modifying
(i) the right to withdraw from the Fund (Article XV, Section 1);
(ii) the provision that no change in a member ’s quota shall be made without its consent (Article III, Section 2);
(iii) the provision that no change may be made in the par value of a member ’s currency except on the proposal of that member (Article IV, Section 5 (b)).
(c) Amendments shall enter into force for all members three months after the date of the formal communication unless a shorter period is specified in the circular letter or telegram.

Article XVIII. Interpretation

(a) Any question of interpretation of the provisions of this Agreement arising between any member and the Fund or between any members of the Fund shall be submitted to the Executive Directors for their decision. If the question particularly affects any member not entitled to appoint an executive director it shall be entitled to representation in accordance with Article XII, Section 3 (j).
(b) In any case where the Executive Directors have given a decision under (a) abo v e, any m e m b er m a y require that t h e questi on be referred to the Board o f Governors, whose decision shall be final. Pending the result of the reference to the Board the Fund may, so far as it deems necessary, act on the basis of the decision of the Executive Directors.
(c) Whenever a disagreement arises between the Fund and a member which has withdrawn, or between the Fund and any member during liquidation of the Fund, such disagreement shall be submitted to arbitration by a tribunal of three arbitrators,
one appointed by the Fund, another by the member or withdrawing member and an umpire who, unless the parties otherwise agree, shall be appointed by the President of the Permanent Court of International Justice or such other authority as may have been prescribed by regulation adopted by the Fund. The umpire shall have full power to settle all questions of procedure in any case where the parties are in disagreement with respect thereto.

Article XIX. Explanation of Terms

In interpreting the provisions of this Agreement the Fund and its members shall be guided by the following:
(a) A member ’s monetary reserves means its net official holdings of gold, of convertible currencies of other members, and of the currencies of such non-members as the Fund may specify.
(b) The official holdings of a member means central holdings (that is, the holdings of its Treasury, central bank, stabilization fund, or similar fiscal agency).
(c) The holdings of other official institutions or other banks within its territories may, in any particular case, be deemed by the Fund, after consultation with the member, to be official holdings to the extent that they are substantially in excess of working balances; provid e d that for the pu rp ose of determ in ing whet her, in a particular case, holdings are in excess of working balances, there shall be deducted from such holdings amounts of currency due to official institutions and banks in the territories of members or non-members specified under (d) below.
(d) A member ’s holdings of convertible currencies means its holdings of the currencies of other members which are not availing themselves of the transitional arrang ements und er Article XI V, Sect ion 2, together wi th it s h o ldin gs of th e currencies of such non-members as the Fund may from time to time specify. The term currency for this purpose includes without limitation coins, paper money, bank balances, bank acceptances, and government obligations issued with a maturity not exceeding twelve months.
(e) A member ’s monetary reserves shall be calculated by deducting from its central holdings the currency liabilities to the Treasuries, central banks, stabilization funds, or similar fiscal agencies of other members or non-members specified under (d) above, together with similar liabilities to other official institutions and other banks in the territories of members, or non-members specified under (d) above. To these net holdings shall be added the sums deemed to be official holdings of other official institutions and other banks under (c) above.
(f) The Fund’s holdings of the currency of a member shall include any securities accepted by the Fund under Article III, Section 5.
(g) The Fund, after consultation with a member which is availing itself of the transitional arrangements under Article XIV, Section 2, may deem holdings of the currency of that member which carry specified rights of conversion into another currency or into gold to be holdings of convertible currency for the purpose of the calculation of monetary reserves.
(h) For the purpose of calculating gold subscriptions under Article III, Section
3, a member ’s net official holdings of gold and United States dollars shall consist of it s o ff ici al ho ld in gs o f go ld an d Uni te d St ates curre ncy after deducting central holdings of its currency by other countries and holdings of its currency by other
offi cial in stitu tions and other banks if these h o ldings car r y specifi ed rights of conversion into gold or United States currency.
(i) Payments for current transactions means payments which are not for the purpose of transferring capital, and includes, without limitation:
(1) All payments due in connection with foreign trade, other current business, including services, and normal short-term banking and credit facilities;
(2) Payments due as interest on loans and as net income from other investments; (3) Payments of moderate amount for amortization of loans or for depreciation
of direct investments;
(4) Moderate remittances for family living expenses.
The Fund may, after consultation with the members concerned, determine whether certa in specific transactions are to be co nsidered current transactions or capital transactions.

Article XX. Final Provisions

SECTION 1. Entry into force. - This Agreement shall enter into force when it has been signed on behalf of governments having sixty-five percent of the total of the quotas set forth in Schedule A and when the instruments referred to in Section 2 (a) of t h is Article hav e been depo sit e d on their behalf, b u t in no ev en t shall this Agreement enter into force before May 1, 1945.
SECTION 2. Signature. - (a) Each government on whose behalf this Agreement is signed shall deposit with the Governm e nt of the Uni t ed St ates of America an instrument setting forth that it has accepted this Agreement in accordance with its law and has taken all steps necessary to enable it to carry out all of its obligations under this Agreement.
(b) Each government shall become a member of the Fund as from the date of the deposit on its behalf of the instrument referred to in ( a ) above, except that no government shall become a member before this Agreement enters into force under Section 1 of this Article.
(c) The Government of the United States of America shall inform the governments of all countries whos e na mes are set forth in Schedu le A, and all governments whose membership is approved in accordance with Article II, Section
2, of all signatures of this Agreement and of the deposit of all instruments referred to in (a) above.
(d) At the time this Agreement is signed on its behalf, each government shall transmit to the Government of the United States of America one one-hundredth of one percent of its total subscription in gold or United States dollars for the purpose of meeting administrative expenses of the Fund. The Government of the United St ates of Am eri ca shall hold such funds in a special deposit account and shall transmit them to the Board of Governors of the Fund when the initial meeting has been called under Section 3 of this Article. If this Agreement has not come into force by December 31, 1945, the Government of the United States of America shall return such funds to the governments that transmitted them.
(e) This Agreement shall remain open for signature at Washington on behalf of the governments of the countries whose names are set forth in Schedule A until December 31, 1945.
(f) After December 31, 1945, this Agreement shall be open for signature on behalf of the government of any country whose membership has been approved in accordance with Article II, Section 2.
(g) By their signature of this Agreement, all governments accept it both on their own behalf and in respect of all their colonies, overseas territories, all territories under their protection, suzerainty, or authority and all territories in respect of which they exercise a mandate.
(h) In the case of governments whose metropolitan territories have been under enemy occupation, the deposit of the instrument referred to in (a) above may be delayed until one hundred eighty days after the date on which these territories have been liberated. If, however, it is not deposited by any such government before the expiration of this period the signature affixed on behalf of that government shall become voi d an d t h e p o rt ion of it s sub s cr ipt i on p a i d u n d e r ( d ) above shall be returned to it.
(i) Paragraphs (d) and (h) shall come into force with regard to each signatory government as from the date of its signature.
SECTION 3. Inauguration of the Fund. - (a) As soon as this Agreement enters into force under Section 1 of this Article, each member shall appoint a governor and the mem b er hav i ng the larg est quo ta shal l call the first meeti ng o f t h e Bo ard of Governors.
(b) At the first meeting of the Board of Governors, arrangements shall be made for the selection of provisional executive directors. The governments of the five countries for which the largest quotas are set forth in Schedule A shall appoint pr ovisio n al execu tiv e d i rect ors. If one or more of such go vernments h a ve n o t become members, the executive directorships they would be entitled to fill shall remain vacant until they become members, or until January 1, 1946, whichever is the earlier. Seven provisional executive directors shall be elected in accordance with the provisions of Schedule C and shall remain in office until the date of the first regular election of executive direc tors which shall be held as soon as practic able a fter January 1, 1946.
(c) The Board of Governors may delegate to the provisional executive directors any powers except those which may not be delegated to the Executive Directors.
SECTION 4. Initial determination of par values. - (a) When the Fund is of the opinion that it will shortly be in a position to begin exchange transactions, it shall so notify the members and shall request each member to communicate within thirty days the par value of its currency based on the rates of exchange prevailing on the sixt iet h d a y bef o re the entry int o fo rc e of this Agreement. No member wh ose metropolitan territory has been occupied by the enemy shall be required to make such a communication while that territory is a theater of major hostilities or for such period thereafter as the Fund may determine. When such a member communicates the par value of its currency the provisions of (d) below shall apply.
(b) The par value communicated by a member whose metropolitan territory has not been occupied by the enemy shall be the par value of that member ’s currency for the purposes of this Agreement unless, within ninety days after the request referred to in (a) above has been received, (i) the member notifies the Fund that it regards the par value as unsatisfactory, or (ii) the Fund notifies the member that in its opinion the par value cannot be maintained without causing recourse to the Fund on the part of that member or others on a scale prejudicial to the Fund and to members. When notification is given under (i) or (ii) above, the Fund and the member shall, within a period determined by the Fund in the light of all relevant circumstances, agree upon a suitable par value for that currency. If the Fund and the member do not agree within the period so determined, the member shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the Fund on the date when the period expires.
(c) When the par value of a member ’s currency has been established under (b) above, either by the expiration of ninety days without notification, or by agreement after notification, the member shall be eligible to buy from the Fund the currencies of other members to the full extent permitted in this Agreement, provided that the Fund has begun exchange transactions.
(d) In the case of a member whose metropolitan territory has been occupied by t h e enemy, the pro v isions o f ( b ) abov e shall app l y, subject to t h e follo wing modifications:
(i) The period of ninety days shall be extended so as to end on a date to be fixed by agreement between the Fund and the member.
(ii) Within the extended period the member may, if the Fund has begun exchange transactions, buy from the Fund with its currency the currencies of other members, but only under such conditions and in such amounts as may be prescribed by the Fund.
(iii) At any time before the date fixed under (i) above, changes may be made by agreement with the Fund in the par value communicated under (a) above.
(e) If a member whose metropolitan territory has been occupied by the enemy adopts a new monetary unit before the date to be fixed under (d) (i) above, the par value fixed by that member for the new unit shall be communicated to the Fund and the provisions of (d) above shall apply.
(f) Changes in par values agreed with the Fund under this Section shall not be taken into account in determining whether a proposed change falls within (i), (ii), or (iii) of Article IV, Section 5 (c).
(g) A member communicating to the Fund a par value for the currency of its metropolitan territory shall simultaneously communicate a value, in terms of that currency, for each separate currency, where such exists, in the territories in respect of which it has accepted this Agreement under Section 2 (g) of this Article, but no member shall be required to make a communication for the separate currency of a territory which has been occupied by the enemy while that territory is a theater of major hostilities or for such period thereafter as the Fund may determine. On the basis of the par value so communicated, the Fund shall compute the par value of each separate currency. A communication or notification to the Fund under (a), (b) or (d) above regarding the par value of a currency, shall also be deemed, unless the contrary is stated, to be a communication or notification regarding the par value of all the separate currencies referred to above. Any member may, however, make a communication or notification relating to the metropolitan or any of the separate currencies alone. If the member does so, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs (in c l udi ng ( d ) above, i f a t e rri tory wh ere a separate currency exists h a s been occupied by the enemy) shall apply to each of these currencies separately.
(h) The Fund shall begin exchange transactions at such date as it may determine after memb ers hav i ng six t y-fi ve percen t o f th e tot a l of the q uot as set f o rth in Schedule A have become eligible, in accordance with the preceding paragraphs of this Section, to purchase the currencies of other members, but in no event until after major hostilities in Europe have ceased.
(i) The Fund may postpone exchange transactions with any member if its circumstances are such that, in the opinion of the Fund, they would lead to use of the resources of the Fund in a manner contrary to the purposes of this Agreement or prejudicial to the Fund or the members.
(j) The par values of the currencies of governments which indicate their desire to become members after December 31, 1945, shall be determined in accordance with the provisions of Article II, Section 2.
Done at Washington, in a single copy which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Government of the United States of America, which shall transmit certified cop i es to all gov ern m ents who s e names are set fort h i n S c h e d u le A and to all governments whose membership is approved in accordance with Article II, Section
2.

Schedule A. Quotas

[IN MILLIONS OF UNITED STATES DOLLARS]

Australia ...................... 200 Iran .................................. 25
Belgium ....................... 225 Iraq .....................................8
Bolivia .......................... 10 Liberia ...............................5
Brazil ......................... 150 Luxembourg ..................... 10
Canada ....................... 300 Mexico .............................. 90
Chile ............................. 50 Netherlands .................... 275
China ........................... 550 New Zealand .................... 50
Colombia ....................... 50 Nicaragua ...........................2
Costa Rica ...................... 5 Norway ............................. 50
Cuba .............................. 50 Panama .............................. .5
Czechoslovakia ............ 125 Paraguay ............................2
Denmark ....................... (*) Peru .................................. 25
Dominican Republic ........ 5 Philippine Commonwealth 15
Ecuador ........................... 5 Poland ............................ 125
Egypt ............................ 45 Union of South Africa .... 100
El Salvador ...................... 2.5 Union of Soviet Socialist
Ethiopia ........................... 6 Republics .................... 1,200
France ....................... 450 United Kingdom ........... 1,300
Greece .......................... 40 United States................ 2,750
Guatemala ...................... 5 Uruguay ........................... 15
Haiti ............................... 5 Venezuela .......................... 15
Honduras ........................ 2.5 Yugoslavia ........................ 60
Iceland ........................... 1
India ........................... 400
Total .................... 8,800

Schedule B. Provisions with Respect to Repurchase by a Member of Its

Currency Held by the Fund

1. In determining the extent to which repurchase of a member ’s currency from the Fund under Article V, Section 7 (b), shall be made with each type of monetary reserve, that is, with gold and with each convertible currency, the following rule, subject to 2 below, shall apply:

*The quota of Denmark shall be determined by the Fund after the Danish Government has declared its readiness to sign this Agreement but before signature takes place.

(a) If the member ’s monetary reserves have not increased during the year, the amo unt p ayabl e t o the Fu nd shal l b e d istrib uted am on g all ty pes o f reserves i n proportion to the member ’s holdings thereof at the end of the year.
(b) If the member ’s monetary reserves have increased during the year a part of the amount payable to the Fund equal to one-half of the increase shall be distributed among those types of reserves which have increased in proportion to the amount by which each of them has increased. The remainder of the sum payable to the Fund shall be distributed am ong all types of reserves in proportion to the mem b er ’s remaining holdings thereof.
(c) If after all the repurchases required under Article V, Section 7 (b), had been made, the result would exceed any of the limits specified in Article V, Section 7 (c), the Fund shall require such repurchases to be made by the members proportionately in such manner that the limits will not be exceeded.
2. The Fund shall not acquire the currency of any non-member under Article V, Section 7 (b) and (c).
3. In calculating monetary reserves and the increase in monetary reserves during any year for the purpose of Article V, Section 7 (b) and (c), no account shall be taken , u nless deducti ons hav e otherwise been made b y th e mem ber for such holdings, of any increase in those m onetary reserv es which is due to currency previously inconvertible having become convertible during the year; or to holdings which are the proceeds of a long-term or medium-term loan contracted during the year; or to holdings which have been transferred or set aside for repayment of a loan during the subsequent year.

4. In the case of members whose metropolitan territories have been occupied by the enemy, gold newly produced during the five years after the entry into force of this Agreement from mines located within their metropolitan territories shall not be included in computations of their monetary reserves or of increases in their monetary reserves.

Schedule C. Election of Executive Directors

l. The election of the elective executive directors shall be by ballot of the governors eligible to vote under Article XII, Section 3 (b) (iii) and (iv).
2. In balloting for the five directors to be elected under Article XII, Section 3 (b) (iii), each of the governors eligible to vote shall cast for one person all of the votes to which h e is ent itled under Article XII, Section 5 (a). The five persons receiving the greatest number of votes shall be directors, provided that no person who received less than nineteen percent of the total number of votes that can be cast (eligible votes) shall be considered elected.
3. When five persons are not elected on the first ballot, a second ballot shall be held in which the person who received the lowest number of votes shall be ineligible for election and in which there shall vote only (a) those governors who voted in the first ballot for a person not elected, and (b) those governors whose votes for a person elected are deemed under 4 below to have raised the votes cast for that person above twenty percent of the eligible votes.

4. In determining whether the votes cast by a governor are to be deemed to have raised the total of any person above twenty percent of the eligible votes the twenty percent shall be deemed to include, first, the votes of the governor casting the

largest number of votes for such person, then the votes of the governor casting the next largest number, and so on until twenty percent is reached.

5. Any governor part of whose votes must be counted in order to raise the total of any person above nineteen percent shall be considered as casting all of his votes for such person even i f the to tal vo te s for such person there b y exce ed twe n ty percent.

6. If, after the second ballot, five persons have not been elected, further ballots shall be held on the same principles until five persons have been elected, provided that after four persons are elected, the fifth may be elected by a simple majority of the remaining votes and shall be deemed to have been elected by all such votes.

7. The directors to be elected by the American Republics under Article XII, Section 3 (b) (iv) shall be elected as follows:
(a) Each of the directors shall be elected separately.
(b) In the election of the first director, each governor representing an American Republic eligible to participate in the election shall cast for one person all the votes to which he is entitled. The person receiving the largest number of votes shall be elected provided that he has received not less than forty-five percent of the total votes.
(c) If no person is elected on the first ballot, further ballots shall be held, in each of which the person receiving the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated, until one person receives a number of votes sufficient for election under (b) above.
(d) Governors whose votes contributed to the election of the first director shall take no part in the election of the second director.
(e) Persons who did not succeed in the first election shall not be ineligible for election as the second director.
(f) A majority of the votes which can be cast shall be required for election of the second director. If at the first ballot no person receives a majority, further ballots shall be held in each of which the person receiving the lowest number of votes shall be eliminated, until some person obtains a majority.
(g) The second director shall be deemed to have been elected by all the votes which could have been cast in the ballot securing his election.

Schedule D. Settlement of Accounts with Members Withdrawing

l. The Fund shall be obligated to pay to a member withdrawing an amount equal to its quota, plus any other amounts due to it from the Fund, less any amounts due to the Fund, including charges accruing after the date of its withdrawal; but no payment shall be made until six months after the date of withdrawal. Payments shall be made in the currency of the withdrawing member.

2. If the Fund’s holdings of the currency of the withdrawing member are not sufficient to pay the net amount due from the Fund, the balance shall be paid in gold, or in such other manner as may be agreed. If the Fund and the withdrawing member do not reach agreement within six months of the date of withdrawal, the currency in question held by the Fund shall be paid forthwith to the withdrawing member. Any balance due shall be paid in ten half yearly instalments during the ensuing five years. Each such instalment shall be paid, at the option of the Fund, either in the currency of the withdrawing member acquired after its withdrawal or by the delivery of gold.

3. If the Fund fails to meet any instalment which is due in accordance with the preceding paragraphs, the withdrawing member shall be entitled to require the Fund to pay the instalment in any currency held by the Fund with the exception of any currency which has been declared scarce under Article VII, Section 3.

4. If the Fund’s holdings of the currency of a withdrawing member exceed the amount due to it, and if agreement on the method of settling accounts is not reached within six months of the date of withdrawal, the former member shall be obligated to redeem such excess currency in gold or, at its option, in the currencies of members which at the time of redemption are convertible. Redemption shall be made at the parity existing at the time of withdrawal from the Fund. The withdrawing member shall complete redemption within five years of the date of withdrawal, or within such longer period as may be fixed by the Fund, but shall not be required to redeem in any half-yearly period more than one-tenth of the Fund’s excess holdings of its currency at the date of withdrawal plus further acquisitions of the currency during such half- yearly period. If the withdrawing member does not fulfil this obligation, the Fund may in an orderly manner liquidate in any market the amount of currency which should have been redeemed.

5. Any member desiring to obtain the currency of a member which has with drawn shall acqu ire it by pu rch a se fro m th e Fund , to th e ex tent t h at su ch member has access to the resources of the Fund and that such currency is available under 4 above.

6. The withdrawing member guarantees the unrestricted use at all times of the currency disposed of under 4 and 5 above for the purchase of goods or for payment of sums due to it or to persons within its territories. It shall compensate the Fund for any loss resulting from the difference between the par value of its currency on the date of withdrawal and the value realized by the Fund on disposal under 4 and 5 above.

7. In the event of the Fund going into liquidation under Article XVI, Section 2, within six months of the date on which the member withdraws, the account between th e Fund and that govern ment shall be set tl ed in acc ordan ce with Article XVI, Section 2, and Schedule E.

Schedule E. Administration of Liquidation

1. In the event of liquidation the liabilities of the Fund other than the repayment of subscriptions shall have priority in the distribution of the assets of the Fund. In meeting each such liability the Fund shall use its assets in the following order:

(a) the currency in which the liability is payable; (b) gold;
(c) all other currencies in proportion, so far as may be practicable, to the quotas of the members.

2. After the discharge of the Fund’s liabilities in accordance with 1 above, the balance of the Fund’s assets shall be distributed and apportioned as follows:

(a) The Fund shall distribute its holdings of gold among the members whose currencies are held by the Fund in amounts less than their quotas. These members shall share the gold so distributed in the proportions of the amounts by which their
quotas exceed the Fund’s holdings of their currencies.
(b) The Fund shall distribute to each member one-half the Fund’s holdings of its currency but such distribution shall not exceed fifty percent of its quota.
(c) The Fund shall apportion the remainder of its holdings of each currency among all the members in proportion to the amounts due to each member after the distributions under (a) and (b) above.
3. Each member shall redeem the holdings of its currency apportioned to other members under 2 (c) above, and shall agree with the Fund within three months after a decision to liquidate upon an orderly procedure for such redemption.
4. If a member has not reached agreement with the Fund within the three- m onth perio d referred to in 3 ab ove, t he Fund shall use the currencies of other members apportioned to that member under 2 (c) above to redeem the currency of that member apportioned to other members. Each currency apportioned to a member which has not reached agreement shall be used, so far as possible, to redeem its currency apportioned to the members which have made agreements with the Fund under 3 above.
5. If a member has reached agreement with the Fund in accordance with 3 above, the Fund shall use the currencies of other mem b ers apportioned to th at member under 2 (c) above to redeem the currency of that member apportioned to other members which have made agreements with the Fund under 3 above. Each amount so redeemed shall be redeemed in the currency of the member to which it was apportioned.

6. After carrying out the preceding paragraphs, the Fund shall pay to each member the remaining currencies held for its account.

7. Each member whose currency has been distributed to other members under 6 above shall redeem such currency in gold or, at its option, in the currency of the member requesting redemption, or in such other manner as may be agreed between them. If the members involved do not otherwise agree, the member obligated to redeem shall complete redemption within five years of the date of distribution, but shall not be required to redeem in any half yearly period more than one-tenth of the amount distributed to each other member. If the member does not fulfil this ob lig at ion , th e amo unt of cu rrency w h ich shou ld h a v e been redeemed may b e liquidated in an orderly manner in any market.

8. Each member whose currency has been distributed to other members under 6 above guarantees the unrestricted use of such currency at all times for the purchase of goods or for paym ent of sums due to it or to person s in it s territories. Each member so obligated agrees to compensate other members for any loss resulting from the difference between the par value of its currency on the date of the decision to liquidate the Fund and the value realized by such members on disposal of its currency.