The principles of Swiss policy in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are intended to ensure that Switzerland pursues a clear position over time in the IMF. They serve as a basis for formulating Switzerland's stance on the IMF's Executive Board's day-to-day business and for determining the general work priorities.
The Federal Council approved the principles of Switzerland's commitment to the IMF in 1999 and confirmed an updated version in 2017. They have also proven their worth in view of the sometimes major changes in the global financial and economic system. The principles help the Swiss authorities to assess the IMF's strategic orientation and instruments from a longer-term perspective:
- Switzerland supports the IMF in promoting a stable, open and proper functioning international financial and monetary system.
- Switzerland requests that the IMF concentrates on its mandate and cooperates with other international organisations. As such, it must play a key role in the international financial architecture. Switzerland strives to ensure it is suitably represented in line with its standing in the international financial and monetary system.
- Switzerland calls for the IMF's lending activities to be limited and conditional.
- Switzerland favours adequate funding of the IMF and supports safeguarding its financial stability.
- Switzerland represents the concerns of its constituency in the IMF and maintains close relationships with the countries of its constituency.
- Switzerland recognises the particular needs of the IMF's poorest members.
- Switzerland calls for a targeted structure of the IMF's technical assistance
- Switzerland supports the IMF in promoting good governance of its members. The IMF itself should also act according to the principles of good governance.
- Switzerland places great emphasis on the social and environmental compatibility of economic growth.
Last modification 09.12.2021