BRETTON WOODS AGREEMENTS ACT, 1957

AN ACT TO MAKE PROVISION WITH RESPECT TO ACCEPTANCE BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE AGREEMENTS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND AND THE INTERNATIONAL BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROVIDE FOR MATTERS (INCLUDING PAYMENTS) RELATED TO THE MATTERS AFORESAID. [18th July, 1957.]

BE IT ENACTED BY THE OIREACHTAS AS FOLLOWS :—

1 Interpretation.

1.—In this Act—

“the Fund Agreement” means the agreement, for the establishment and operation of an international body to be called the International Monetary Fund, which was drawn up at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference held at Bretton Woods in New Hampshire in the United States of America in July, 1944, and of which the text of the Articles is set out in Part I of the Schedule to this Act;

“the Bank Agreement” means the agreement, for the establishment and operation of an international body to be called the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which was drawn up at the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference held at Bretton Woods in New Hampshire in the United States of America in July, 1944, and of which the text of the Articles is set out in Part II of the Schedule to this Act;

“the Fund” means the International Monetary Fund established under the Fund Agreement;

“the Bank” means the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development established under the Bank Agreement.

2 Approval of acceptance.

2.—Acceptance by the Government of the Fund Agreement and the Bank Agreement is hereby approved.

3 Financial and other provisions.

3.—(1) The subsequent subsections of this section shall come into operation on the day on which the Fund Agreement and the Bank Agreement are signed on behalf of the Government.

• (2) The following payments, as and when they become appropriate to be made on behalf of the Government, shall be made out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof:

• (a) payments in respect of subscription to the Fund,

• (b) payments under paragraph (a) of Section 4 of Article III of the Fund Agreement,

• (c) payments under paragraph (b) or paragraph (d) of Section 8 of Article IV of the Fund Agreement,

• (d) payments under Section 3, Section 7 or Section 8 of Article V of the Fund Agreement,

• (e) payments under Section 3 of Article XIII of the Fund Agreement,

• (f) payments under Schedule D of the Fund Agreement,

• (g) payments under Schedule E of the Fund Agreement,

• (h) payments in respect of subscription to the Bank,

• (i) payments under Section 9 of Article II of the Bank Agreement,

• (j) payments under subparagraph (iv) of paragraph (c) of Section 4 of Article VI of the Bank Agreement.

• (3) The Minister for Finance may create and issue to the Fund or the Bank, in such form as he thinks fit, 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 and Section 12 of Article V of the Bank Agreement, and any payments in respect of any such notes or obligations so created and issued shall be made out of the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof.

• (4) The Minister for Finance may borrow from any person, and the Bank of Ireland may advance to him, any sum or sums required for payments under this section and, for the purpose of such borrowing, he may create and issue any securities bearing such rate of interest and subject to such conditions as to repayment, redemption or otherwise as he thinks fit.

• (5) The principal and interest of any securities issued under subsection (4) of this section and the expenses incurred in connection with their issue shall be charged on the Central Fund or the growing produce thereof.

• (6) Any moneys received by the Government from the Fund or the Bank or raised by securities under subsection (4) of this section shall be placed to the credit of the account of the Exchequer and shall form part of the Central Fund and be available in any manner in which that Fund is available.

• (7) The Central Bank of Ireland shall act as a depository for the holdings of currency of the State and other assets of the Fund and the Bank and may advance to the Minister for Finance any sum or sums required for payments under this section.

• (8) The provisions of—

• (a) Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of Article IX of the Fund Agreement,

• (b) Sections 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 of Article VII of the Bank Agreement, and

• (c) the first sentence of paragraph (b) of Section 2 of Article VIII of the Fund Agreement,

shall have the force of law in the State, subject to the proviso that nothing in Section 9 of Article IX of the Fund Agreement or in Section 9 of Article VII of the Bank Agreement shall be construed—

• (i) as entitling the Fund or the Bank to import goods free of customs duty without any restriction on their subsequent sale in the country to which they were imported,

• (ii) as conferring on the Fund or the Bank any exemption from duties or taxes which form part of the price of goods sold, or

• (iii) as conferring on the Fund or the Bank any exemption from taxes or duties which are in fact no more than charges for services rendered.

4 Short title.

4.—This Act may be cited as the Bretton Woods Agreements Act, 1957.

SCHEDULE. Agreements.

PART I. ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

The Governments on whose behalf the present Agreement is signed agree as 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 co-operation 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 employment 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 Nations Monetary 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 I.

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 those set forth in Schedule A. The quotas of other members 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.

Subscriptions: time, place, and form of payment.

• (a) The subscription of each member shall be equal to its quota and shall be paid in full to the Fund at the 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) 25 per cent. of its quota; or

• (ii) 10 per cent. 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.

Section 4.

Payments when quotas are changed.

• (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 25 per cent. 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 the consent, pay to the member an amount equal 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 75 per cent. 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 judgment 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 dollar 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 per cent.; 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.

Obligations regarding exchange stability.

• (a) Each member undertakes to collaborate with the Fund to promote exchange stability, to maintain orderly exchange arrangements with other members, and to avoid competitive exchange alterations.

• (b) Each member undertakes, through appropriate measures consistent with this Agreement, to permit within its territories exchange transactions 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 international transactions, in fact freely buy and sell gold within the limits prescribed by the Fund under Section 2 of this Article shall 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 have already taken place in the 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 10 per cent. of the initial par value, the Fund shall raise no objection;

• (ii) does not exceed a further 10 per cent. 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) above if it is satisfied 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 make uniform proportionate changes in the par values of the currencies of all members, provided each such change is approved by every member which has 10 per cent. 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 the Fund's assets shall be maintained notwithstanding changes in the par 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 member proposing a change in the par value of its currency shall be deemed, unless it declares otherwise, to be proposing a corresponding change in the par value of the separate 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 Fund shall be limited to transactions for the purpose of supplying a member, on the initiative 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 25 per cent. of its quota during the period of twelve months ending on the date of the purchase nor to exceed 200 per cent. of its quota, but the 25 per cent. limitation shall apply only to the extent that the Fund's holdings of the member's currency have been brought above 75 per cent. 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 continuous use of the Fund's resources. In making a waiver it shall take into 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 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 Schedule B, part of the Fund's holdings of its currency under the following 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 members or persons 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 75 per cent. of its quota, or

• (iii) the Fund's holdings of any currency required to be used are above 75 per cent. 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 ¾ per cent. in addition to the parity price. The Fund in its discretion may increase this service charge to not more than 1 per cent. or reduce it to not less than ½ per cent.

• (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 25 per cent. in excess of the quota: no charge for the first three months; ½ per cent. per annum for the next nine months; and thereafter an increase in the charge of ½ per cent. for each subsequent year.

• (ii) On amounts more than 25 per cent. and not more than 50 per cent. in excess of the quota: an additional ½ per cent. for the first year; and an additional ½ per cent. for each subsequent year.

• (iii) On each additional bracket of 25 per cent. in excess of the quota: an additional ½ per cent. for the first year; and an additional ½ per cent. 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 4 per cent. per annum, the Fund and the member shall consider means by which the Fund's holdings of the currency can be reduced. Thereafter, the charges shall rise in accordance with the provisions of (c) above until they reach 5 per cent. 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 outflow 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 that 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 75 per cent. 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 75 per cent. of its quota, or of reducing the Fund's holdings of the currency desired below 75 per cent. 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 exercise these controls in a manner which will restrict payments for current transactions or which will unduly delay transfers of funds in settlement 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 issue a report setting forth the 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 IV, Sections 3 and 4, the member shall have complete jurisdiction 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 member in question; and they shall be relaxed and removed 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 engagements 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, without the approval of the Fund, impose restrictions on the making of payments and transfers for current international transactions.

• (b) Exchange contracts which involve the currency of any member and which are contrary to the exchange control regulations of that member maintained 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 such measures and regulations are consistent with this 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 1, to engage in, any discriminatory currency arrangements or multiple currency practices except as authorized under this Agreement or approved by the Fund. If such 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 its currency held by another member if the latter, in requesting 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 entitled to buy currencies of other members from the Fund for its 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 time of assuming membership in the Fund and details 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 ability of members to furnish the data requested. Members shall be under 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 monetary and financial problems, thus facilitating the preparation of studies designed to assist members in developing policies which further the purposes of the Fund.

Section 6.

Consultation between members regarding existing international agreements.

Where under this Agreement a member is authorized in the special or temporary circumstances specified in the Agreement to maintain or establish 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.

Section 2.

Status of the Fund.

The Fund shall possess 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, wherever located and by whomsoever held, shall be immune from search, 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 official 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 members to representatives, officials and employees of comparable rank of other members.

Section 9.

Immunities from taxation.

• (a) The Fund, its assets, property, income and its operations and transactions authorized by this Agreement, shall be immune from all taxation and from all customs duties. The Fund shall also 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 Organisations

The Fund shall co-operate within the terms of this Agreement with any general international organization and with public international organizations having specialized responsibilities in related fields. Any arrangements for such co-operation 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 co-operate 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 co-operate 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 co-operate with other international organizations (other than informal arrangements of a temporary 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 Fund, but the Fund shall pay them reasonable expenses incurred in attending meetings.

• (i) The Board of Governors shall determine the remuneration to be paid to the Executive Directors and the salary and terms of the contract of service of the Managing Director.

Section 3.

Executive Directors.

• (a) The Executive Directors shall be responsible for the conduct of the general 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 whose names are set forth in Schedule A, whether they become members in accordance with Article XX or in accordance 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 holdings of whose currencies by the Fund have been, on the average over the 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 director would otherwise be entitled to cast shall be increased or decreased 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 deciding vote in case of an equal division. He may participate in meetings of the Board of Governors, but shall not vote at such meetings. The Managing Director shall cease to hold office when the Executive Directors 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 organisation, 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 refrain from all attempts to influence any of the staff in the discharge of his functions.

• (d) In appointing the staff the Managing Director shall, subject to the paramount importance of securing the highest standards of efficiency and of technical competance, 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 and 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 IV, Section 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 2 per cent. non-cumulative payment to each member on the amount by which 75 per cent. 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

Section 1.

Location 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 designated by the five members having the largest quotas and in such other 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 40 per cent. 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 anticipated requirements of the Fund. In an emergency 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, notwithstanding the provisions of any other articles of this Agreement, 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 facilitate international payments and the maintenance 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 adjustment and in 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 the resources of the Fund. Nothing in this Section shall be deemed to limit 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 Fund. If agreement is not reached 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 and 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 and twenty days. Such suspension may be extended, however, for an additional period of not more than two hundred and forty days, if the Board of Governors by a four-fifths majority of the total voting power so decides, but it may not be further 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 emanating from a member, a governor or the Executive Directors, shall be communicated to the chairman of the Board of Governors who shall bring the 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) above, any member may require that the question be referred to the Board of 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; provided that for the purpose of determining whether, 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 arrangements under Article XIV, Section 2, together with its holdings of the 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 its official holdings of gold and United States currency after deducting central holdings of its currency by other countries and holdings of its currency by other official institutions and other banks if these holdings carry specified 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 certain specific transactions are to be considered 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 65 per cent. of the total of the quotas set forth in Schedule A and when the instruments referred to in Section 2 (a) of this Article have been deposited on their behalf, but in no event 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 Government of the United States 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.