ETRAI Subject Files

36535

1951-1990, predominant 1973-1989

series

textual records

26 linear feet of textual records

Development Committee, Debt

General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Group of Ten, Group of Twenty-Four, Interim Committee

Series is open according to the Archives Access Policy. Files will be screened by reference staff for any time restrictions.

Series consists of records maintained by the Immediate Office of the Exchange Restrictions Department (ERD), later called Exchange and Trade Relations Department (ETR). The majority of the records cover the period 1973 to 1989, however there are records which date back to 1956., Subject files reflect the work and function of the Department, in particular its role of coordinating the IMF's relations with the Development Committee (DC), General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) and other agencies including: Berne Union, Group of Ten (G-10), Group of Twenty-Four (G-24), the Interim Committee and the World Bank. Regarding the Development Committee, ETR participated in the DC Steering Committee. In its role of coordinating relations with GATT, ETR reviewed reports and in many instances made suggestions to the Office of the Managing Director on the exact relationship between the IMF and the Director General of GATT. The records reflect the evolution of this relationship. Records also consist of G-10 and G-24 communiqués primarily on the issues of surveillance and SDRs. Files also contain summary and progress reports prepared by the IMF and/or World Bank staffers on the collaborative work of both organizations on issues including Structural Adjustment Facility (SAF) and the Trust Fund. As reflected in the records, both organizations worked to develop ways to assist member countries with adjusting to severe economic conditions by coordinating policy views and lending practices in the midst of differing opinions and views brought on by increasing overlap and interaction., Other key activities reflected in the records include the development and review of policies and facilities on surveillance and Article IV consultation policies and procedures, and the development and design of the international monetary system. Some of the issues focused on in regards to the latter include international liquidity, arrears, conditionality, compensatory financing, exchange rates, exchange restrictions, forward exchange markets interest rate policies, and international rate facilities. ETR, in conjunction with area and functional departments, also developed policies on debt and debt management, the Use of Fund Resources, overdue obligations to the IMF and trade which is also demonstrated through the correspondence, memoranda and proposed Board papers on these topics., A small portion of the records in this series are administrative in nature. These include timetables and progress reports on staff papers proposed in the department's work program. Records also contain information on the history of the IMF., Files within the series are arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within.