The External Balance Assessment (EBA) Methodology

Abstract

The External Balance Assessment (EBA) methodology has been developed by the IMF’s Research Department as a successor to the CGER methodology for assessing current accounts and exchange rates in a multilaterally consistent manner. Compared to other approaches, EBA emphasizes distinguishing between the positive empirical analysis and the normative assessment of current accounts and exchange rates, and highlights the roles of policies and policy distortions. This paper provides a comprehensive description and discussion of the 2013 version (“2.0”) of the EBA methodology, including areas for its further development.

Keywords: Current account, Exchange rates, Real effective exchange rates, Monetary policy, Fiscal policy, Fiscal sustainability, Economic models, global imbalances, net foreign assets, current accounts, private credit, reserve currency, current account balances, reserve accumulation, domestic debt, external liabilities, central banks, current account deficit, current account deficits, reserve currencies, fiscal gaps, fiscal “ gap, current account surpluses, private debt, current account adjustments, budget balance, reserve holdings, net debtor, capital account liberalization

JEL Classification: F21, F31, F32, F41, F42, G15, O16, O24